PROPOSALS TO MAKE A PRESCRIBED ALTERATIONTOMEADOWFIELD(FOUNDATION) SCHOOL, Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4NL

Introduction

The proposals to make a prescribed alteration to Meadowfield(Foundation) Special School,Swanstree Avenue,Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4NLfor 1 September 2019are being published by Kent County Council. Contact Name and Address: Marisa White, Area Education Officer (East Kent),Children, Young People and Education, Education Planning and Access, Brook House, Reeves Way, Whitstable, CT5 3SS Tel: 03000 418794

Publication Date: 07 February 2018

School Details and Pupil Numbers

Meadowfield Special School is the District Special School for Swale meeting the needs of pupils with profound, severe and complex special educational needs (PSCN). Honey Bees pre-school Assessment and Observation unit admits children from 3 years of age. Pupils transition to Meadowfield or other provisions in the Reception year (the year in which the pupil becomes 5 years of age). Pupils can remain at Meadowfield throughout their education Years R to Year 11 (ages 5 through to 16). At 6th Form transition pupils can move into the Meadowfield 6th Form or move onto to other provisions at the local colleges.

Meadowfield Schoolis judged by Ofsted as a ‘Outstanding’ school (November 2014). The current designation is 209

Description of alteration and evidence of demand

In accordance with section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 Kent County Council with the support of the Governing Body intends to make the following prescribed alterations to:

  • increase the designated number of places from 209 to 348
  • extend the lower age range at Meadowfield School to age 3 for 1st September 2019 in order to formalise the Observation and Assessment (O&A)nursery provision

Note:If, for any reason we are unable to secure planning permission for the additional accommodation, we will regularise the designated number to reflect the current number on roll without the growth. The proposed designated number under these circumstances would therefore be 280.

Planning Permission for the new school building

The application for the new school building would be considered by KCC’s planning committee under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; Swale Borough Council will be a consultee to the proposals but will not be the decision making body.

Evidence of Demand

Over the past three years there has been an increasing demand for local places for children with PSCN including Autism. It is also important to note that there is no Special school on the Isle of Sheppey (Swale District) which means that significant numbers of pupils often have to travel long distances to the nearest suitable provision such as Maidstone and Tonbridge.

To meet the demand for places in Swale Meadowfield has taken additional pupils. On 30 March 2017, KCC’s Education and Young People’s Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposal to allocate £1.4 million of capital budget to provide additional accommodation in two phases (Record of Decision reference 17/00015). Meadowfield received a reception class room and new KS1 classrooms to accommodate the additional pupils in permanent accommodation.

Meadowfield School now has 285 pupils on roll but has a designated number of 209. In accordance with The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 (‘the Prescribed Alterations Regulations’) KCC is conducting an education statutory process in order to regularise the designated number to reflect not just the current number on roll but also allow for further growth. If, for any reason we are unable to secure planning permission for the additional accommodation, we will regularise the designated number to reflect the current number on roll without the growth. The proposed designated number under these circumstances would therefore be 280.

KCC is also consulting on the proposal to extend the lower age range to age 3 to formalise the presence of Honey Bees (the observation and assessment nursery) which moved onto the current site in September 2013. Meadowfield would have the potential to offer the following places:

Provision / Number of places (future)
Observation & Assessment Nursery / 24
Primary / 140
Secondary / 111
Post 16 / 73
Total / 348

Objectives

As the strategic commissioner of school provision, Kent County Council as the Local Authority has a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for the residents of Kent. These proposals reflect KCC’s aspirations to increase the number of SEN school places across the County, as set out in Kent’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2017-21.

The effect on other schools, academies and educational institutions within the area

KCC does not anticipate any adverse impact on neighbouring schools.

Meadowfield is the District Special School for Swale meeting the needs of pupils with profound, severe and complex special educational needs.

As part of the feasibility process various options were considered including possible sites for offsite 6th form provision. However, none of the sites considered were judged as appropriate for the needs of the pupils attending Meadowfield School. There is also no Special school on the Isle of Sheppey (Swale District) which means that significant numbers of pupils often have to travel long distances to the nearest suitable provision. Many pupils are transported to Maidstone and Tonrbidge.

Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long term value formoney will be achieved:

a.Capital – A feasibility study was completed to provide the School with accommodation to meet the needs of the additional children including: a new 2 storey 6th form centre combined with a 1.5 storey PE hall; some internal reconfiguration of current 6th form accommodation to accommodate the expanding pupils groups as they move through the school.

b.The total cost of this project is estimated to be in the region of £3.95 million from Basic Need budget. The costs are estimates which may increase as the project is developed. If the cost of the project would be exceeded by more than 10% the Cabinet Member will be required to take a further decision to allocate the additional funding.

b.Revenue - The school will receive increased funding through the Delegated Budget. Special schools are funded using the DfE Place Plus funding methodology for High Needs Pupils. Revenue funding will also be allocated to enable the School to resource the new classrooms. At present, this is funded at a rate of £6,000 per classroom.

c.Human – The School will appoint additional staff as the need arises.The new accommodation and facilities will have a positive impact on pupils and staff through the improvement of the learning environment.

Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation

Following the end of the public notice period, should the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education confirm his Decision No17/00132 taken on 25 January 2018 that the proposal can go ahead the expansion will take effect from 1September 2019, subject to planning permission being granted for the new buildings.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision

KCC have produced a Strategy that sets out our plans for children with SEN and Disabilities (SEND). It is available on the website at:

Subject to planning approval being granted, the final phase (three) of expansion at Meadowfield School would provide continuity of education provision for KS2 and above. New facilities would include: much needed additional sports facilities and reconfiguration of KS2 classrooms.

This proposal will lead to improvements in the standard, quality, and range of the educational provision for SEN children. It is anticipated that this proposal will enhance the quality of education provided through the sharing of skills and expertise, enable the curriculum to be broadened and enhance the extra-curricular opportunities.

Travel

Traffic and parking assessments have been carried out as part of the design and planning process. If the proposal goes ahead the school’s travel plan would be updated and would be utilised by the school to encourage families to find alternative ways of travelling to school in order to reduce the number of car journeys.

Consultation

KCC recognises the significant importance given to parent/carer views. All applicable statutory requirements to consult in relation to these proposals have been complied with. A public consultation was carried out by the Local Authority from 10 October 2017 until 14November 2017. The Consultation documentation was produced together with an Equality Impact Assessment. These documents can be obtained from KCC’s school consultation website:

The consultation documents were distributed to statutory stakeholders, including but not limited to the following groups:

  • The parents/carers of all pupils attending MeadowfieldSchool and Honey Bees Nursery via their pupil’s, school staff and governors and staff, and parents of children attending Honey Bees nursery.
  • The Department for Education
  • The Dioceses
  • Chief Executive and Leader of SwaleBorough Council (SBC)
  • Elected Members (Kent County Council)
  • SittingbourneParish Councils
  • Local MP
  • Schools in Swale area
  • Special schools in Kent
  • Local Libraries in the Swalearea
  • All stakeholders were able to access copies of these documents on the KCC website.

An drop-in session was organised on 19 October 2017 between 4.00pm and 7.00pm at Meadowfiled(Foundation Special) School, Swanstree Avenue,Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4NL,

The outcome of the consultation was discussed at theChildren, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee on 18 January2018 whom resolved to endorse the recommendations. The Cabinet Member forChildren, Young People and Education took the decision to proceed with the proposals on 25January 2018.

The procedure for responses: support; objections and comments

A public notice was published in a local newspaperon 07 February 2018. The notice is available on KCC’s website:

Within four weeks from the date of publication, any person may send in a response supporting, objecting or commenting on the proposal to Marisa White, Area Education Officer (East Kent), Children, Young People and Education, Education Planning and Access, Brook House, Reeves Way, Whitstable, CT5 3SS Tel: 03000 418794or email . The final date for sending in written representations is07March 2018.

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The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013