Purpose

To consider the outcome of formal consultation
on amalgamation of Malorees Infant School (Community) and Maloree
Junior School (Foundation).

Content

Prior to considering the report, Cabinet noted
the comments made by Angus Hislop (as Vice Chair of Malorees School Federation) who had requested to
speak in support of the proposals to amalgamate Malorees Infant and Junior Schools.  In addressing Cabinet, Mr Hislop advised he was
also Chair of the Federations Finance. Personnel, Property and
Staffing Committee.  Outlining the
Federations support for the proposed amalgamation he advised this
was shared by the whole School Board with the Federation, following
its formation in 2017, having identified a clear vision to achieve
amalgamation, which had been delayed as a result of the process in
seeking to manage the financial deficit within their
budgets.  During this time, however,
both schools had sought to achieve as much as possible in seeking
to combine and deliver the benefits associated in working more
closely together with them effectively operating as one and the key
benefit now identified, in terms of formalising the process of
amalgamation, being the ability to access the DfE School Building
Programme in order to deliver a rebuild of the school.
 
Whilst recognising the potential financial
impact on the school budget arising from the amalgamation, the
Governing Body remained confident this could be offset against the
reduction in maintenance costs association with the existing
facilities linked to the new build programme and ability the new
facilities would have in attracting additional pupils.  Having outlined what were felt to the substantial
benefits associated with the proposals, the risks identified were
also acknowledged, particularly in terms of any significant delay
in the new build programme progressing. 
Having considered and assessed the risk identified, however, the
Board had felt this remained manageable and that the unique
opportunity for refurbishment of the school was worth pursing given
the wider benefits for both current and future pupils and
educational provision on the site.
 
In response, Councillor Grahl (as Cabinet
Member for Children, Young People and Schools) thanked Mr Hislop
for his support of the proposals. She also advised Cabinet of two
further written representations received from local parents Aidan
Reilly and Venera Itibaeva expressing
concern, given the outcome of the consultation process, at the
potential impact of the proposals in relation to the financial
risks identified and uncertainty around the school rebuild
programme.  As a result, assurance had
been sought that any funding gaps identified in relation to the
school budget would not impact on staff or lead to reductions in
educational provision.
 
Having noted the representations received and
assurance provided at the meeting regarding the retention of
transferred land on the site for educational use and that the
amalgamation would not involve any proposed redundancies or changes
in the terms and conditions of Malorees
staff, Cabinet RESOLVED:
 
(1)      
To approve the amalgamation of Malorees
Infant School and Malorees Junior
School, to be achieved through the:
 
(a)      
The Closure of Malorees Junior
School.
 
(b)      
Expansion of the age range of Malorees
Infant School to admit children aged between 3 – 11.
 

(c)       
Change of the name of Malorees Infant
School to ‘Malorees Primary
School’.
 
(2)      
To commit to retaining the Junior School land that would transfer
to the Local Authority for the educational use of Malorees Primary School.
 
Eligible for call-in: Yes
 
Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on
Monday 4 August 25