Purpose

To consider and approve the capital project
for Corby Business Academy SEND Provision

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION
 

That the Executive:
 

a)     
Approved the proposed Capital Project of
Corby Business Academy SEND provision.

b)     
Noted the scheme will be funded primarily
by Higher Needs Funding.

c)     
Delegated authority to the Executive
Member for Children, Families and Education, in consultation with
the Executive Director of Children’s Services and the
Executive Director of Place and Economy, to authorise all necessary
legal, property and financial agreements to ensure effective
delivery of the scheme.
 
 

Reasons for
Recommendations:
 

·       
Corby Business Academy has enough
physical space that can be utilised to support the severe shortage
of specialist spaces in North Northamptonshire as result of falling
rolls.

 

·       
This project provides NNC the support to
increase sufficiency of SEND places by creating 28 SEND places
within the school.

 

·       
School place planning duties (s13-14
Education Act 1996) The Council as an education authority has a
duty to promote high standards of education and fair access to
education. It also has a general duty to secure sufficient schools
in their area, and to consider the need to secure provision for
children with SEN. This includes a duty to respond to
parents’ representations about school provision. These are
referred to as the school place planning duties.

 

·       
If we do not provide the Corby Business
Academy SEND provision, out of necessity we may need to seek SEND
places in the independent sector which will have significant budget
implications.

 

·       
There would also be implications on home
to school transport costs if the pupils are placed out of county or
out of area because of not creating these places.
 

Alternative Options Considered: The other option was to do nothing; this would not
support the Council’s school place planning
duties.