West Oaks SEN Specialist School and College
Minutes from Consultation Meetings
School governors meeting
19th September 2013
Present: Val Waite, LCC Best practice team; Kate Brooks, LCC Best practice team; Kabeer Bostan, LCC Best practice team; Adele Robinson, LCC Built environment; Andrew Hodkinson, Principal; Joyce Boocock, school governor; Helen Amor, school governor; Dawn Morley, school governor;
1. The school principal stated that the board of governors were fully behind the proposal.2. It was confirmed at the meeting that all the SILCs in Leeds would remain generic in provision.
3. It was stated that some parents may be concerned that the number of pupils will go from 200 to 350, but that the additional 150 places would be on a separate site.
4. It was confirmed that the West Oaks site would not close and be replaced by the proposed Blenheim site. The two sites would be required to meet the projected increase in demand for places.
5. Pupil numbers on the 2004 Statutory Notice.
6. How will it be decided which pupils will attend the Blenheim site? This will be decided on an individual pupil basis and via the statutory review process.
7. It was confirmed that the existing building on the Blenheim site would be demolished and a new foundation for a new building would be laid if the proposal proceeds.
School council meeting
19th September 2013
Present: Val Waite, LCC Best practice team; Kate Brooks, LCC Best practice team; Kabeer Bostan, LCC Best practice team; Adele Robinson, LCC Built environment; Student Council: Eight pupils attended from the school council and three supporting teachers
Item:1.0 / Questions and answers from opening presentation provided by LCC :
Q1. What is good about West Oaks School?
· It is fun
· Can play with friends
· Outside playgrounds
· Outdoor visits - Nuzzlets farm and the donkey sanctuary
· Interactive zone – listen to music, interactive floor, planets, bath with water effect, maths (numbers), English (alphabet), stories (Granny went to market and the Gruffalo)
Q2. What’s not good about West Oaks School?
· No swimming pool - would like a balcony as well
· No ball pool
· Single story – there are no stairs
· Would like more play time
· Would like to travel less to get in to school as currently traveling from: Roundhay, Chapeltown, Meanwood, near Halifax and Seacroft
Q3.
· Easier for wheel chair access
Q4. Would you like to receive updates on the building work at Blenheim?
· Yes – would like weekly pictures of the site and would like to carry out a site visit
Questions from students:
Q1. Will this school change?
· No
Q2. Will there be a sport hall?
· Yes – a combined sports hall and dining hall
Q3. Will there be big open spaces?
· Not as big as the spaces at this site
Q4. How will students get their dinners?
· In the same way they get them here (West Oaks site)
Questions from students:
Q5. How will pupils get there?
· Parents/carers, taxis or by minibuses
Q6. Will this school change?
· No
Q7. Will there be big open spaces?
· Yes, but not as big as the spaces at this site
Q8. How will students get their dinners?
· In the same way they get them here (West Oaks site)
Q9. Will there be a proper dinner hall?
· It will most likely be combined with the sports hall
Q10. Will there be indoor soft play areas?
· Maybe – We will come back again to consult on the design and update you on what is decided
Q11. When will it be open?
· If there are no objections to it being built, it will be open in September 2015 – 2 years’ time
Q12. Will there be classrooms?
· Yes
Q13. Will there be a swimming pool?
· No
Q14. What happens if I don’t want to go?
· Not everybody here will move to the new site. It will be decided on an individual basis. No one will be forced to go to the new site.
Q15. Will we be safe?
· Yes – like the West Oaks site, there will be no cars, plenty of staff and fencing around the school
Q16. What happens if you don’t live in Leeds?
· We will try to give people a choice of schools that are close to where they live
Q17. Will it be noisy?
· It shouldn’t be as it is at the end of a cul-de-sac and it is a residential area, so most people should be at work or school during the day
Q18. Will it be a high school?
· Yes – we will see if we can have a comp (classes at a high school)
Action: LCC to update the school council on the proposal and send photo updates and timeline of work to West Oaks School if the proposal goes ahead.
Staff Consultation Meeting
9th October 2013
Present: 16 staff and two school governors, Adele Robinson – Built Environments, Val Waite and Kate Brooks – CN Best Practice Development Team, Victoria Coyle - SENSAP
Items raised and discussed:
1. Number of pupils and how future projections were calculated?
2. What were the main SEN needs identified in the bid?
3. Vision of the building for the future – future proofing
4. Potential of the site for the future – there were concerns about the limitation of the build
5. Number of pupils as of the 1st September 2015 – how would transitions be managed?
6. Transport – will this dictate placement of pupils already at the West Oaks site
7. How would the management and funding of the transition look like?
8. Over all response from staff was positive – staff in favour of the expansion
Public Consultation Meeting at West Oaks
9th October 2013
Present: Adele Robinson – Built Environments, Val Waite and Kate Brooks – CN Best Practice Development Team, Victoria Coyle – SENSAP, No members of the public attended.
Public Consultation Drop In at the Civic Hall
15th October
Present: James Saunders and Adele Robinson – Built Environments, Val Waite, Natalie Samuel and Kate Brooks – CN Best Practice Development Team, Louise Snowden – CN Area Lead,
Three members of the public attended:
All comments were positive and in favour of the proposals.