PROPOSALSTOMAKEAPRESCRIBEDALTERATIONTORIDGEVIEWSCHOOL,Cagegreenroad,Tonbridge,Kenttn104pt

PROPOSALSTOMAKEAPRESCRIBEDALTERATIONTORIDGEVIEWSCHOOL,CageGreenRoad,Tonbridge,KentTN104PT

Introduction

KentCountyCouncil(KCC)isproposingtoexpandandrelocateRidgeViewSchool,CageGreenRoad,Tonbridge,KentTN104PTfromSeptember2017. KCCisalsoproposingtoestablishaSatelliteprovisionofRidgeViewSchoolatWouldhamAllSaintsChurchofEngland(VoluntaryControlled)PrimarySchool,SchoolLane,Wouldham,Rochester,Kent,ME13TSfor48studentswithmoderatetoseverelearningdifficultiesfrom1September

2017.TheSatellitewillnecessitateanincreaseinthedesignatednumberofRidgeView

Schoolfrom180to228for1September2017.

ContactDetails

TheproposaltoexpandandrelocateRidgeViewSchoolisbeingpublishedbyKentCountyCouncil,CountyHall,Maidstone,KentME141XQ. ContactNameandAddress: JaredNehra,AreaEducationOfficer(WestKent),SessionsHouse,CountyHall,MaidstoneME14

1XQ. Tel:03000412209

Provisiondetails

RidgeViewSchoolisasuccessfulschool,graded‘outstanding’byOfsted.TheSchoolprovidesforpupilswithprofound,multiple,andseverelearningdifficultiesandautisticspectrumdisorders. Overahalfhasautisticspectrumdisordersasaprimaryneed. Inaddition,manyhavearangeofcomplexneedsincludingsensoryimpairment,hearingimpairment,physicalimpairmentanddelayedcognitivedevelopment. ThemajorityofthechildrenintheOakridgeAssessmentnurseryhaveastatementofspecialeducationalneedsandahighproportionusealternativeoraugmentativemethodsofcommunication.ApartfromattendingRidgeView,nurserychildrenenteravarietyofotherspecialschools,specialistmainstreamschoolsandmainstreamprovisions.

Abreakdownofthepupilsonrollbyagegroupsisprovidedinthetablebelow:

Source:KCCMIUSpring2015Census–SchoolRoll

TotalStatutoryRollBoys / TotalStatutoryRollGirls / Total
YearR+RollBoys / Total
YearR+RollGirls / TotalFTRollBoys / TotalFTRollGirls / TotalPTRollBoys / TotalPTRollGirls / TotalRollBoys / Total
RollGirls
67 / 21 / 76 / 26 / 76 / 26 / 13 / 3 / 89 / 29

Descriptionofalterationandevidenceofdemand

Inaccordancewithsection19(1)oftheEducationandInspectionsAct2006KentCountyCouncilintendstomakethefollowingprescribedalterationstoRidgeViewSchool,CageGreenRoad,Tonbridge,Kent,TN104PT:

1. RelocateRidgeViewSchool,CageGreenRoad,TonbridgetoasiteatYeoman’s

Field,offLowerHaysdenLane,TonbridgeforSeptember2017

TherelocationofRidgeViewSchoolwillallowfortheprovisionofanewpurpose-builtspecialschool. Theinitialdesignapproachconsidersthetopographyandconstraintsofthesiteandhowthisbestservestheneedsoftheschool. Theamountofexternalspacefortheschoolisparamounttotheschool’scurriculumforexternallearningandplay.Tooptimisetheexternal

spacethebuildingofthesiteinformedtheformofthebuilding,allowingdirectaccessfromclassroomsandthemainbuildingtoasecurelandscapedexternalarea.

Asinglebuildingsolutioncreatestheopportunitytozonetheareasoftheschoolinrelationtotheirfunction,withcommunalzonesprovidingspaceforexchangeandtheopportunitytoshareresources.Wherepreviouslydifferentfunctionsoftheschoolhavebeenfragmentedacrossdifferentbuildings,asinglebuildinglendsitselftocreatinga‘villagemodel’wherebyallpartsoftheschoolhaveaccesstomorefacilitiesandhaveagreaterflexibilityofspace.

Eachclusterofclassroomswrapspartiallyaroundsharedquietcommunalzoneswithaccesstosmallgrouprooms,providingmultiplespaceoptionsforteachingandlearning.Highceilingswillbeprovidedinorderfortheclassroomstobebrightandairyandallclassroomsonthegroundflooropenontoexternalareasforoutsidelearning. Forallhigherdependentclassroomsonthegroundfloorthereisdirectaccesstotoiletsfromclassrooms.

Thehallwillbelargeenoughforthreebadmintoncourtsandwillbeabletobedividedwithamoveableacousticwall.ThisalongsidetheHydrotherapypoolwillprovideexcellentopportunitiesfortheneedsofpupilsattheschool.

Alifeskillshousewillbeprovideopportunityforpupilstoprepareforeverydaylifeafterfinishingschool.Thisisdesignedtohavetheappearanceofaregular3bedroomhouse,twostorieswithapitchedroof. Therewillbewheelchairaccessiblebedroomandbathroomonthegroundfloor,andfullyintegratedlowerkitchenworktopsforindependentusebywheelchairusers.

ItshouldbenotedthattheproposaltorelocateRidgeViewSchooltoYeoman’sFieldisnotlinkedtoorcontingentupontheproposaltorelocateandexpandWouldhamAllSaintsCEPS.

2. ToestablishaSatelliteprovisionofRidgeViewSchoolatWouldhamAllSaints

CEPSchoolfor48studentswithmoderatetoseverelearningdifficultiesfrom1

September2017

3.IncreasethedesignatednumberofplacesofferedatRidgeViewSchool,from180to228forSeptember2017

SatelliteProvisionatWouldhamAllSaintsCEPSchool

FurthertothesuccessfulimplementationofSatelliteclassesofspecialschoolslocatedwithinmainstreamschoolsKCCisproposingtoestablishadditionalclassesforRidgeViewSchoolwithintheproposednewlocationoftheWouldhamAllSaintsCEPSchoolsite.

WouldhamAllSaintsCEPSchoolisrecognisedasagoodschoolbyOfstedandislocatedinWouldhamVillageoftheTonbridgeandMallingDistrict.TheHeadteacherandGoverningBodyatWouldhamAllSaintsCEPSchoolarehappytohosttheSatelliteprovisionforupto

48pupilswithmoderatetocomplexlearningdifficultiesandareconfidentthatstafffromRidgeViewSchoolwillbringtherelevantexpertiseandskillstomeettheneedsofthechildren,forthebenefitofbothschools.

ItisintendedthattheSatellitehaveitsaccommodationwhichwillbefullyintegratedintothenewplansforWouldhamAllSaintsCEPSchoolandwilloperateontheRidgeViewSchoolmodel. PupilswillremainontherollofRidgeViewSchoolandtheSatellitewillbestaffedbyRidgeViewSchoolstaff.Pupilsattendingthesatellitewillcontinuetohaveaccesstothesupporttheyneed. TheformalarrangementswillbesetoutandrecordedinaMemorandum

ofUnderstandingwhichwillbeagreedbyWouldhamAllSaintsCEPSchoolandRidgeView

School.

TheincreaseinthedesignatednumberofRidgeViewSchoolisrequiredtoaccommodatetheadditionalpupils(upto48)intheSatelliteprovisionatWouldhamAllSaintsCEPS.

Alterations2and3arelinkedtoandcontingentupontherelocationandexpansionofWouldhamAllSaintsCEPS.TheWouldhamproposalshavebeenconsideredunderaseparate,butlinkedconsultationprocess.Detailscanbefoundat

EvidenceofDemand

Thenumbersofchildrenwithprofound,severeandcomplexneeds(PSCN)isincreasingwhichhasresultedinpressureonplacesinKent. This,combinedwiththeneedtoofferplacesthatavoidlongtravellingdistancesforvulnerableyoungchildren,meansthatKCCrequiresRidgeViewSchoolto increasethenumberofplacesitoffersfrom itscurrentposition.

Duetothecomplexityofneedsofitspupilsandcapacityrestrictionoftheschoolsite,Ridge

ViewSchoolisunabletoadmituptoitscurrentdesignatednumber(180)andcurrentlyhas

118pupilsonroll. TheneedforadditionalplacesintheTonbridgeandMallingDistrictwasrecognisedbytheGovernmentand£2.3mwasallocatedfromTargetedBasicNeedfundingtoenabletherelocationandexpansionoftheschool.

RidgeViewSchoolhasestablishedoutreachserviceswhichsupportallthemainstreamschoolswithintheTonbridgeandMallingDistrict. RidgeViewSchoolisavitalpartofKCC’sstrategyforensuringspecialschoolsareattheheartoftheircommunitiessoenablingmanypupilswithSENtoremainwithintheirlocalmainstreamschool. TocontinuetoprovidethisserviceRidgeViewSchoolmustremainwithintheDistrictofTonbridgeandMalling. TheproposedrelocationandexpansionofRidgeViewSchoolwouldfacilitateanincreasein,andgreaterutilisationof,trainingfacilitiesandsharedresourcestobenefitallschoolswithintheDistrict.

Objectives

Theseproposalsincreasewillofferanadditional48SENplacesintheareawhichreflectsKCC’saspirationstoincreasethenumberofSENschoolplacesacrosstheCounty,assetoutintheCommissioningPlanforEducationProvisioninKent2015-19. ThisCommissioningPlancanbeviewedat:

The2016-20editionoftheKentCommissioningPlanalsoidentifiesagrowingneedforadditionalSENplaces.TheneweditionofthePlanwasendorsedbytheEducationandYoungPeople’sCabinetCommitteeattheirmeetingon15December2015andcanbefoundwiththecommitteepapersat:

Theseproposalswillalsohelptosecureourambition“toensurethatKent’syoungpeoplehaveaccesstotheeducation,workandskillsopportunitiesnecessarytosupportKentbusinesstogrowandbeincreasinglycompetitiveinthenationalandinternationaleconomy”assetoutin‘IncreasingOpportunities,ImprovingOutcomes:KentCountyCouncil’sStrategicStatement(2015-2020)’

Theeffectonotherschools,academiesandeducationalinstitutionswithinthearea

Noadverseimpactisanticipatedonneighbouringschoolsorthelocalcommunity.

Projectcostsandindicationofhowthesewillbemet,includinghowlongtermvalueformoneywillbeachieved:

CapitalProgrammeOn16December2015theCabinetMemberforEducation,HealthandReformtookthedecision(no15/00091)toallocate£16.8m(ofwhich£2.3mwillbefromTargetedBasicNeedBudgetand£14.5mfromtheSpecialSchoolReviewBudget)toexpandandrelocateRidgeViewSchool.

Revenue–TheschoolsdelegatedbudgetwillbeallocatedforanagreednumberofcommissionedplacesinaccordancewiththePlacePlusHighNeedsfundingmethodology.

Human–RidgeViewSchoolwillappointadditionalteachers,astheschoolsizeincreasesandtheneedarises.ThecostsofthesatelliteunitwouldbemetfromtheDedicatedSchoolsGrant,withfundingbeingprovidedtoRidgeViewSchooltoruntheprovision.Adetailedagreementwillbesetout inaMemorandumofUnderstanding

Theproposalwillensurespecialistplacesareavailablemorelocaltochildren’shomes

therebyreducingtransportcostsandjourneytimes.

Transportcosts

Anassessmenthasbeencarriedoutby KCC’sTransportteamandtheconclusionisthat,basedonthecurrentinformationthecostoftransporttoRidgeViewSchoolfollowingthemoveshouldbebroadlycostneutral.

Thenewaccommodationandbetterfacilitieswillhaveapositiveimpactonstudentsandstaffthroughtheimprovementofthelearningenvironment.

Implementationandanyproposedstagesforimplementation

ShouldtheCabinetMemberforEducationandHealthReformagreethattheproposalcangoaheadtherelocation,establishmentofSatelliteandincreasednumberwilltakeeffectfrom1

September2017.

Specialeducationalneeds(SEN)provision

KCChaveproducedaStrategythatsetsoutourplansforchildrenwithSENandDisabilities(SEND).TheSENDStrategyshowshowwewillbecreating209extraplacesinspecialschoolsand164inmainstreamschools.Itisavailableonthewebsiteat:

Thisproposalwillleadtoimprovementsinthestandard,quality,andrangeoftheeducationalprovisionforSENchildrenandwillenhancethequalityofeducationprovidedthroughthesharingofskillsandexpertise.

Travel

TheproposedlocationofRidgeViewSchooltothenewsiteatYeoman’sField,offLowerHaysdenLane,Tonbridge,Kentisapproximately2.5milesawayfromthecurrentschoolsiteatCageGreenRoad,Tonbridge.

Themajorityofpupilscurrentlyattendingtheschoollivetothenorthoftheexistingsiteswhichmeansthat,whilsttheytheoreticallywilltravelfurther,manyarelikelytoapproachviaalternativeroutestothenewsite(wherepossible)toavoidtowncentretraffic.

AspartoftheSENDStrategyouraimistoprovidelocalprovisionandreduceunnecessarytravel. Theschooltravelplanisregularlyupdatedtoensurethattraveltoandfromschoolwillbeassustainableaspossible.Alleffortsarebeingmadetomaximiseprivatehireandminibususagetoreducethenumberofjourneys,wherepupils’needsallowforthis.

Consultation

KCCrecognisesthesignificantimportancegiventoparent/carerviewsintheStudentsandFamiliesActreformsofSENandDisabilitieswhichcameintoforcefromSeptember2014andhaslookedtoensuretheyareinvolvedinshapingandinfluencingstrategicdecisionsthataffecttheirstudentsandyoungpeople.Therefore,weundertookaconsultationwithparentsatRidgeViewSchoolandafullrangeofstakeholdersontheseproposals.

Allapplicablestatutoryrequirementstoconsultinrelationtotheseproposalshavebeencompliedwith. ApublicconsultationwascarriedoutbytheLocalAuthorityfrom7October

2015until11November2015. TheConsultationdocumentationwasproducedtogetherwithanEqualityImpactAssessment. ThesedocumentscanbeobtainedfromKCC’sschoolconsultationwebsite:

Theconsultationdocumentsweredistributedtostatutorystakeholders,includingbutnotlimitedtothefollowinggroups:

Theparents/carersofallpupilsattendingRidgeViewSchoolandWouldhamAllSaints

CEPSchoolviatheirpupils,schoolstaffandgovernors

TheDepartmentforEducation

TheDioceses

ChiefExecutiveandLeaderofTonbridgeandMallingBoroughCouncil(TMBC)

ElectedMembers(KentCountyCouncil,TMBCDistrictCouncil)

TonbridgeandMallingParishCouncils

LocalMP

SchoolsinTonbridgeandMalling

SpecialschoolsinKent

LocalLibrariesintheTonbridgeandMallingarea

AllstakeholderswereabletoaccesscopiesofthesedocumentsontheKCCwebsite.

Aninformationdrop-insessionforparentswasheldatRidgeViewSchoolonAdrop-insessionwasorganisedon13Octoberbetween3.00and6.30pm. TheoutcomeoftheconsultationwasdiscussedattheEducationandYoungPeople’sCabinetCommitteeon15

December2015whomresolvedtoendorsetheRecommendationtoproceed.TheCabinet

MemberforEducationandHealthReformtookthedecisiontoproceedwiththeproposalon

16December2015.

Theprocedureforresponses:support;objectionsandcomments

Apublicnoticewaspublishedinalocalnewspaperon8January2016. Eachparent/carerofachildatRidgeViewSchoolwillbeprovidedwithacopy. ThenoticeisalsoavailableonKCC’swebsite:

Withinfourweeksfromthedateofpublication,anypersonmaysendinaresponsesupporting,objectingorcommentingontheproposaltoJaredNehra,AreaEducationOfficer(WestKent),SessionsHouse,CountyHall,MaidstoneME141XQ. Tel:03000412209;oremail . The final date for sending in writtenrepresentationsis5February2016.