Issue - meetings

Proposal to expand capacity at The Lincoln St Christopher's School from 200 to 333 (Final Decision)

Meeting: 04/02/2020 - Executive (Item 65)

65 Proposal to expand capacity at The Lincoln St Christopher's School from 200 to 333 (Final Decision) pdf icon PDF 314 KB

(To receive a report from the Interim Director – Education which seeks approval for the expansion of The Lincoln St Christopher's School from 200 to 333 places with full effect from September 2024)

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the Executive approves the expansion of The Lincoln St Christopher's School from 200 to 333 places with full effect from September 2024.  Such approval is conditional on any necessary planning permission being granted by 31 December 2020 in respect of proposed development works at both St Christopher's school site and the former Usher Junior site.

 

That the Executive approves the modification of the determination for the expansion of St Francis special school from 128 to 155 instead of to 173.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report by the Interim Director – Education which sought to advise the Executive on the making of the final decision regarding the proposed expansion of The Lincoln St Christopher's School.

 

The Admissions and Education Provision Manager introduced the report and advised that the County Council had a statutory duty to ensure that there were sufficient school places to accommodate all pupils of statutory school age who lived in Lincolnshire, including provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  The Local Authority (LA) believed that this proposal was the best available option to fulfil this duty.

 

The proposal under consideration was to permanently expand the capacity at the Lincoln St Christopher's School from 200 to 333 across two sites to ensure there was sufficient SEND provision for primary and secondary age children.  This would supersede the original proposal as part of the Building Communities of Specialist Provision strategy which was to reduce the capacity of St Christopher's from 200 to 155, expand St Francis from 128 to 173 and to build a new free school for 155 pupils on the former Usher site subject to a successful capital bid.  However, the Free School bid was unsuccessful and so had been necessary to reconsider the available options.  The proposal was to expand St Christopher's over two sites being taken forward, with a modification to the expansion at St Francis from 128 to 155 instead of 173.

 

The Executive was advised that a period of consultation commenced on 5 September 2019, and closed on 3 October 2019, a summary of written responses was attached as Appendix A to the report.

 

Following the consultation the decision was taken on 22 October 2019 to publish a Statutory Notice on 7 November 2019.  This initiated a four week representation period up to 5 December 2019 when further written objections and comments could be submitted.  The process was now entering the final stage when the Local Authority, as decision maker, must take the final decision regarding the proposal within two months of the Representation Period (by 5 February 2020).

 

The Executive was advised that if this proposal was agreed, the accommodation would be built ready for September 2022.  It was also reported that no objections to the proposals had been received.  The report had also been considered by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on 17 January 2020 where substantial debate had taken place, and the Committee had unanimously supported the recommendations.  During debate questions had been raised regarding the carbon impact of the proposal, and members had been assured that this would be taken into consideration.

 

It was confirmed that the Executive Headteacher would be the Head Teacher at St Francis, and would oversee both sites, and there would also be a Head Teacher for St Christopher's.

 

RESOLVED

 

            That the Executive approves the expansion of The Lincoln St Christopher's School from 200 to 333 places with full effect from September 2024.  Such approval is conditional on any necessary  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65


 

 
 
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