Cabinet to consider new policy for primary school organisation

Press release - 19 September 2007

Shropshire County Council's Cabinet to consider new policy for primary school organisation

Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet members will consider a revised school organisation policy for primary education in Shropshire when they meet next Wednesday (26 September).

A review of the current policy has become essential as the fall in pupil numbers experienced over the last few years continues. There will be 3,400 fewer primary school pupils in 2012 compared with 2001. The council currently receives a Dedicated School Grant from Government based on £3,551 per pupil, and as numbers fall the funding level reduces significantly. The new policy under consideration aims to deliver a sustainable network of schools which are financially viable, to ensure high-quality primary education for Shropshire children in the long term.

A report to Cabinet highlights the fact that there are currently 3,250 surplus places in Shropshire’s primary schools, and that will rise to 5,450 in the next five years. The Audit Commission recommends a maximum of 10% surplus places in a school, but many of Shropshire’s 141 primary schools already have more than that. One of the key factors is that this results in many schools having up to three year groups in a single class, which impacts on education planning and provision.

The report to Cabinet sets out a consultation exercise seeking the views of parents, carers, children and young people, school staff and governors and other partners on priorities in developing a new policy. If agreed, the results of the consultation will be reported back to the County Council’s Cabinet in November.

Ann Hartley, Cabinet member for children’s services, said: “A number of Shropshire County Council’s major partners in the provision of education services, like myself, now recognise the need to tackle the problems for our primary schools arising from falling pupil numbers.

“Small schools in Shropshire currently provide a high standard of education, but are facing increasing challenges. And the smallest schools cost more per pupil than Shropshire receives from the Government, so draw resources from all other schools. I want to discuss with my Cabinet colleagues a new vision for the way we organise our primary schools.

“This vision for the future of primary school education in Shropshire will see the creation of a sustainable network which maintains a good spread of rural schools supporting rural communities in the era of falling numbers we are facing nationally. It will be based on key principles, ensuring continued high standards and improvement, and enshrine basic entitlement criteria for children and young people, “ Ann Hartley added.

The entitlements being proposed in the the new policy include:-

- Every Shropshire child will have a high-quality school place within six miles or less (two miles or less in towns).
- Every school should be viable in educational and financial terms – working towards a minimum of four classes, taking into account distance, geographic isolation, the needs of vulnerable communities and ensuring a network of provision across the county.
- Schools should be primary schools, ensuring effective transition between infants and juniors, except where amalgamating existing schools would result in a school with considerably more than 14 classes.

ENDS

For media contact, call John Hargreaves, Head of Communications, on (01743) 252813.