Save Springside Primary from Closure!

Appendix 4

THIS IS A CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT

This document has been issued by the Education Executive of North Ayrshire Council for consultation in terms of the Education (Publication and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981, the Education (Publication and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1987, 1988, 1989, the Education (Publication and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007.

1.      INTRODUCTION

1.1    During 2007, North Ayrshire Council agreed to establish a review group of elected members to consider the issue of surplus school places and falling school rolls.  This group reported to the Education Executive of North Ayrshire Council on 13^th November 2007 identifying opportunities for rationalization and reduction of surplus capacity.  One recommendation from the group was that a consultation exercise on the future of Dreghorn and Springside Primary Schools should take place early in 2008.

2.      RATIONALE

2.1    The review of the school estate is based on the priorities set out by North Ayrshire Council in its Council Plan 2006/2009, Building a Better North Ayrshire.

The Council’s priorities include the following:

·  Increasing educational achievement

·  Using our resources more efficiently and effectively.

·   

These priorities are closely connected.  The Council wishes to maximise its investment in education but can only do so if all aspects of its operations, including the provision of school buildings, are managed efficiently and effectively.

Using school buildings more efficiently means that more resources can be allocated to teachers, classroom assistants and educational materials, thus directly impacting on educational attainment.

The Council’s vision for its school estate is one in which all pupils and staff are provided with a first class educational environment in which they can achieve their full potential.

2.2    The Local Government etc (Scotland ) Act 1994 places a duty on all Authorities to achieve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources. In 1995, an Accounts Commission report highlighted a need for Councils to address the issue of surplus places in schools.

2.3    Maintaining surplus places in schools is clearly not an effective use of the limited resources which are of vital importance to the learning and teaching process in classrooms.

3.      CURRENT POSITION

3.1    Dreghorn Primary School

3.1.1 Dreghorn Primary School is a non-denominational primary school. The catchment area covers the village of Dreghorn and extends into rural areas around the village and towards Springside.  (For map see Appendix 1).

3.1.2 The original school dates from around 1908.  The school has a two additional buildings dating from 1936 and 1970. The school has a capacity for 504 pupils and currently accommodates a nursery and a Communications Base for pupils from across North Ayrshire.

3.1.3 The present school roll is 229 pupils, at the September 2007 census of school rolls, resulting in an occupancy level of 45%. The school roll peaked in 1999 at 335 pupils and has declined steadily to its present level.  The roll is likely to rise slightly to around 245 by 2014. (See Appendix 2).

3.1.4 The Dreghorn Primary School buildings are no longer in good condition with over £100,000 spent on repairs over the last three years.  In the medium term future there will be a need to invest around £560,000 in upgrading and replacing elements of the roof, windows, toilets, improvements to the kitchen, carrying out repairs to the masonry and the electrical wiring.

3.2    Springside Primary School

3.2.1 Springside Primary School is a non-denominational primary school. The catchment area covers the village of Springside and extends into rural areas around Springside and towards the village of Dreghorn.  (For map see Appendix 1).

3.2.2 The school building dates from 1979. There is a nursery operating in the school. The school has a capacity for 192 pupils.

3.2.3 The school roll peaked in 2000 at 135 pupils and has declined to a roll of 87 pupils at the September 2007 census of school rolls, resulting in an occupancy level of 45%. This trend is set to continue and it is estimated that the number of pupils attending Springside Primary School will be 64 by 2014. (See Appendix 2).

3.2.4 Springside Primary School is in good condition.  £103,000 has been spent on repairs and improvements over the last three years.  Future capital investment will be required to upgrade the fire alarm and electrical system, at a cost of around £70,000.

4.      OPTIONS

4.1    There are four options available to the Council:

Option 1.   Retain both school buildings.  In this case the rolls will continue to fall, especially at Springside Primary School, with continuing expenditure of resources on schools which are well under capacity.

Option 2.   Amalgamate Springside Primary School with Dreghorn Primary School in a new school to be built on a new site convenient to the two villages.  This would require the identification and purchase of a site in addition to the capital investment in a new school building.  The resulting school would have an anticipated roll of 318 pupils and a design capacity of 444 pupils, giving an occupancy level of around 72% in 2012.  The resulting catchment area for the new school would be the combined catchments of Dreghorn and Springside Primaries as shown at appendix 1.

Option 3.   Amalgamate Springside Primary School with Dreghorn Primary School in a new school building on the site of the current Dreghorn Primary School.  This would result in a school with a roll of 314 pupils and a design capacity of 444 pupils, giving an occupancy level of around 70% in 2012.  The resulting catchment area for the new school would be the combined catchments of Dreghorn and Springside Primaries as shown at appendix 1.

Option 4.   Amalgamate Springside Primary School with Dreghorn Primary School in a new school building on the site of the current Springside Primary School.  This would result in a school with a roll of 313 pupils and a design capacity of 444 pupils, giving an occupancy level of around70% in 2012.  The resulting catchment area for the new school would be the combined catchments of Dreghorn and Springside Primaries as shown at appendix 1.

4.2    The difference in the anticipated pupil rolls for each option arises from the possible impact of any housing built on the vacated school site or sites.  This is further explained in paragraph 4.

4.3    The planning for the new school proposed in options 2, 3 and 4 would involve further ongoing consultation with the school staff, pupils and Parent Council.  This consultation would consider matters related to the design of the building, senior staff appointments, school uniform and the name of the new school.

5.      IMPLICATIONS

5.1    There are a number of implications of the proposed options relating to property, finance, staffing and transport.  Option 1 has no new implications but continues the use of resources on under-occupied and aging buildings.  The implications of the other options are outlined below.

5.2     Property

5.2.1 Options 2,3 and 4 each require the building of a new primary school.  The preferred approach, option 2, would be to build a new school in a conevient for the two villages.  This would require the purchase of land for this purpose but would have the advantage of not building a new school within the grounds of an existing and operating school.

5.2.2 Option 2 would result in the closure of the existing Dreghorn and Springside Primary Schools.  The accommodation currently occupied by Dreghorn and Springside Primary Schools would be vacated and declared surplus to the needs of Educational Services.  It is recognised that there is potential for these vacated sites to be sold for housing developments which could impact on the future pupil roll of the new school.

5.2.3 It is estimated that the two school sites vacated in option 2 could accommodate up to 61 houses, depending on how much of the existing school sites were available for development.  An allowance for children from 61 new houses has been included in the roll projection for the proposed new primary school. The maximum capital receipt for the two sites is estimated at £2,700,000. This does not allow for any adverse ground conditions, planning or title restrictions. The capital receipt for the school site would transfer to the Council's capital resources.

5.2.4 Option 3, resulting in the closure of Springside Primary School with a new school being built on the existing Dreghorn Primary School site, could result in an additional 28 houses on the vacated Springside site, depending on how much of the existing school site was available for development.  An allowance for children from 28 new houses has been included in the roll projection for the proposed new primary school for this option. The maximum capital receipt for this option is estimated at £1,200,000. This does not allow for any adverse ground conditions, planning or title restrictions.

5.2.5 Option 4 would see Dreghorn Primary School closed with the potential for 33 new houses on the vacated site, once again depending on how much of the existing school site was available for development.  An allowance for children from 33 new houses has been included in the roll projection for the proposed new primary school at the current Dreghorn school site. The maximum capital receipt for this option is estimated at £1,500,000, which again does not allow for any adverse ground conditions, planning or title restrictions.

5.2.6 For all the options, the nursery requirements for both the existing primary schools would be included in the new school building. Specialist provision for the Communications Base would also be included within the new building.

5.3    Transport

5.3.1 Implementation of this amalgamation proposal would result in alterations to the transport arrangements for some pupils. Assisted transport would be provided in accordance with the terms of the Authority's policy. Currently, free transport is provided for Primary school pupils living more than one mile from their designated school.

5.3.2 The school transport requirements would vary according to which of the three options was approved. 

          Option 2 would potentially see some pupils from both existing school catchment areas qualifying for free transport to school.

          Option 3 would require no change to the current arrangements for Dreghorn Primary School pupils but would require children from Springside to be transported to Dreghorn.

          Option 4 would result in the children from Dreghorn being transported to Springside.

5.3.3 The change in transport arrangements would result in the following approximate annual additional costs to the authority:

          Option 2: £114,000

          Option 3: £80,000

          Option 4: £240,000

Any additional pupils provided with free transport on safety grounds would increase the cost.

5.4    Financial

5.4.1 The estimated net annual revenue implications of the proposal to amalgamate Springside and Dreghorn Primary Schools depend on which of the three options is implemented. The details of the estimated financial impact for each option are as follows:

              Current School budgets:

              Dreghorh Primary School:         £856,000

              Springside Primary School:       £385,000

              Option 2

              New Primary School:               £1,074,000 

                        Estimated Cost of Transport:    £114,000

              Net Full year saving                       £53,000

              Option 3

              New Primary School:               £1,074,000 

                        Estimated Cost of Transport:       £80,000

              Net Full year saving                       £87,000

              Option 4

              New Primary School:               £1,074,000 

                        Estimated Cost of Transport:    £240,000

              Net Full year saving(cost)            (£73,000)

It is likely that there will be one-off transition costs in the early years of implementation of each option.

5.5    Staffing

5.5.1 The amalgamation of Springside Primary School with Dreghorn Primary School will have implications for teaching and support staff. All members of staff will be consulted about their future as will appropriate trade unions. This process will be managed in accordance with the Council's policies and with Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers and Trade Union agreements.

5.4.6 Housing

5.6.1 The roll projections for both schools take account of approved and known planning land allocations for housing.

5.6.2 The three options for a new school site each an own impact on potential housing within the new school catchment area.  A roll projection for each option has been carried out, based on the assumption that the vacant site or sites will be sold for housing.  The resulting projected rolls will inform the size of the proposed new school, depending on the option approved should the proposal be accepted.

5.7    Date of Closure

5.7.1 The amalgamation of Springside Primary School and Dreghorn Primary School would be implemented in full once the building of the new primary school had been completed.

5.7.2 The process of designing, planning, acquiring a site (if necessary) and building the new school is likely to take at least three years.

5.7.3 The proposal would therefore be implemented at the start of school session 2011/2012 or as soon thereafter as the new school is completed.

6.      LEGAL ISSUES

6.1   There are a range of proposals which require the consent of the Scottish Ministers before they can be implemented.  The criteria for referral to the Scottish Ministers are listed in appendix 3.

6.2    None of the criteria apply to the current proposals and, as a result, the proposal will not require the approval of the Scottish Ministers.

7.      RECOMMENDATIONS

7.1    It is recommended that the Education Executive agree to consult on the proposal to amalgamate Dreghorn Primary School with Springside Primary School in a new primary school to be located at one of the following sites

a. a suitable site convenient for the villages of Dreghorn and Springside;

b. the current Dreghorn Primary School site;

c. the current Springside Primary School site;

          and that pupils currently attending, or who would have attended Dreghorn Primary School or Springside Primary School, should transfer to the new Primary School with effect from August 2011 or as soon as the new school is completed.

7.2    The above proposals represent options, any one of which the Council may implement without further consultation.

7.3    It is further recommended that this report is issued as a consultative document and made available to all interested parties.  All interested parties, including the relevant Parent Councils, should be asked to make written representations on the proposal, through the statutory consultation period, to the

Corporate Director (Educational Services),

Educational Services,

Cunninghame House,

Irvine, KA12 8EE

or by e-mail to

dregspringconsultation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk

no later than Monday 17^th March 2008;

and that the Corporate Director (Educational Services) should prepare a report on the results of the consultation process for consideration at a future meeting of the Educational Executive of North Ayrshire Council.

Appendix 2

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

Consent of the Scottish Ministers

There are a range of proposals which require the consent of the Scottish Ministers before they can be implemented. Any such submission must explain the practical implications of the proposal. Consent is required in the following circumstances, whether the proposal relates to a denomination or non-denominational school.

1.      Proposals to discontinue any school other than a nursery school or stage of education in a school other than all the nursery classes in a school which if implemented, would result in any child in attendance at that school:

          (i)  where the school is a primary school, having to attend a different primary school at a distance of 5 or more miles from that school, that distance being measured by the nearest available route; or

          (ii)  where the school other than a nursery school is a secondary school, having to attend a different secondary school at a distance of 10 or more miles from that school, that distance being measured by the nearest available route.

2.      Proposals to change the site of any school which, if implemented, would result in the case of a primary school in the new site being more that 5 miles distant from the previous site; and in the case of a secondary school in the new site being more than 10 miles distant from the previous site.

3.      Proposals to discontinue any school or any stage of school education in any school or to change the site of any school or to vary the delineated area of any school, where the number of pupils in attendance at any such school is greater than 80% of that school's pupil capacity, and in the calculation of that pupil capacity regard shall be had to:

          (i)  the assessment of capacity on which the education authority have based their proposal

          (ii)  the maximum number of pupils in attendance at the school in any one year in the period 10 years preceding the proposal

          (iii)  the curriculum of the school.

4.      Where the proposal has the effect that all or some of the pupils attending a denominational school will no longer receive the education provided in such a school, or that children who would have been likely to attend the school will be unlikely to receive such an education. In this case, the Ministers can only grant consent where they are satisfied that adequate arrangements can be made for the religious instruction of pupils and children who will no longer be attending a denominational school.

5.      Where the proposal relates to a denominational school and involves the discontinuance, amalgamation in whole or in part with another school, the change in site of a school, the arrangements for admission to a denominational school, or where a decision is taken to manage the school as a non-denominational school. In this case, the consent of the Scottish Ministers is required if the proposal will result in a significant deterioration in the availability of religious education for pupils belonging to the area of the authority or a significant deterioration for pupils belonging to the area of another education authority or combined areas, and the authority and the relevant church have, after discussion, failed to reach agreement that the proposal should be implemented.

            (Any assessment of "significant deterioration" referred to above would include reference to a significant reduction in available places and significant increases in travelling to school distances).