Purpose

To seek urgent approval for financial and land
agreements relating to Woodeaton Manor School to enable its
conversion to academy status, as directed by the DfE, scheduled for
1 June 2025.

Content

Amended recommendations approved as
follows:-
 
RESOLVED
to:-
 

a)  
approve the proposal for
Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to retain maintenance and repairs
of Woodeaton Manor School building
after it converts to academy status and until the lease is
terminated, at an annual cap of up to £0.2m per annum, for a
period of between 2-4 years until the school can be relocated to
new accommodation. the maximum cost to the general fund is
£0.4m to £0.8m.

b)  
approve the proposed funding,
subject to conditions, as detailed in the annex, to support the
trust with adaptations to the building to meet the special
educational needs and disabilities (send) requirements of current
students.

c)  
approve an enhanced level of
revenue funding for Woodeaton Manor
School, as detailed in the annex, starting on the date of academy
conversion (scheduled for 1 October 2025) and being reviewed on an
annual basis, with any changes taking effect from 1 April each
year.

d)  
note the options relating to the
land transfer set out in this report and to approve the delegation
of authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in
consultation with the Director of Law & Governance and the
Director of Property & Assets as appropriate, to finalise and
execute the necessary documentation to meet the Department for
Education (DFE) timescales for academisation. this includes the
final decision relating to the transference of insurance excess
costs in the case of negligence by the trust employees, and the
final processes relating to freehold transfer.