Purpose

Following receipt of the
Academy Order issued by the Secretary of State, to obtain the
necessary Cabinet authority to delegate the responsibility of
facilitating the academy conversion process to Chief Officers on
behalf of the Council.

Content

Noted the receipt of the Academy Order
dated 13 November 2024 for De Lucy Primary School (DLPS) (Appendix
A of the report) from the Secretary of State for Education (SoS)
following the application from the governing body of DLPS to
convert the school to academy status. The Council has a statutory
duty under law to facilitate the conversion process.
 
Delegated to the Director of
Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member
for Children and Young People, the overall management and timing of
the conversion process working with all relevant parties.
 
Delegated to the Director of Resources,
in consultation with the Director of Children's Services and the
Director of Legal and Democratic Services, the authority to
complete the formal agreement for the transfer of staff under the
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE)
Regulations 2006 to PolyMAT (the Academy Sponsor) in line with the
detailed terms to be negotiated and agreed within the Commercial
Transfer Agreements (CTA) and agree any Deed(s) of novation between
the relevant parities (if required) and/or any Community Use
Agreement(s) (as required) as well as any other necessary agreement
with relevant third parties as described in paragraphs 4.23 to 4.27
of the report.
 
Agreed for a part of the De Lucy
Primary School site to be re-purposed for the delivery of a
designated specialist provision (DSP) for children and young people
diagnosed with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD).
 
Delegated to the Director of Place
& Growth in consultation with the Director of Children’s
Services, the Director of Resources and the Director of Legal and
Democratic Services, the authority to negotiate with the Academy
Sponsor, PolyMAT and agree the detailed terms of the leases for the
two parts of the school site at Cookhill Road, Abbey Wood, SE2 as
follows:
 
·       
A 125-year Academy Lease at peppercorn rent for part of the site as
described in paragraphs 4.16 to 4.22 and identified in Appendix B
(shaded blue on the site plan) of the report.
 
·       
Any supplemental lease agreement(s) for the remaining part of the
site required to fulfil paragraph 1.4 above for a DSP type facility
for students with MLD as described in paragraphs 4.9 to 4.22 and
identified in Appendix B (shaded green on the site plan) of the
report.