Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: April 22, 2025

Purpose:

Content: RESOLVED:   Having considered all of the supporting documentation, particularly the statutory notice relating to Sir Thomas Abney Primary School set out at Appendix 1A and to Holmleigh Primary School at Appendix 1B; the comments and objections raised by the 27 respondents at Appendix 2; the Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) at Appendix 3; and the report on the alternative options set out in Appendix 4, Cabinet approved the proposals to:   1.  Discontinue (close) Sir Thomas Abney Primary School and amalgamate (merge) the student body with Holmleigh Primary School;   2.  Increase Holmleigh Primary School from 1 form of entry (1FE) to 2 forms of entry (2FE) and to add special educational needs provision for language resources.   REASONS FOR DECISION   The recommendation is made in order to determine the Council’s response to the 28 Day Statutory Notices issued on 6 February 2025 attached as Appendix 1A and Appendix 1B. This recommendation has been put forward after Officers considered a number of alternative options set out in the attached Appendix 4.   The proposals above are recommended to Cabinet in light of the following viability issues facing Sir Thomas Abney Primary School;   ·  a declining pupil roll; ·  a lack of pupils now applying to the school; ·  evidence to show there is little prospect of a material increase in the numbers of pupils within the pupil place planning area in the medium to long term, and ·  the school’s unrecoverable budget deficit.   DETAILS OF ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED   Cabinet could decide not to proceed with the closure proposal for Sir Abney Primary School. The Council would then have to decide on how the school’s budget deficit would be funded beyond the 2024/25 school year, given that it is not financially viable and is very unlikely to see a sufficient increase in its pupil numbers for the situation to change in the foreseeable future.   Cabinet could decide to delay its decision on school closure, but this would mean that the School’s financial position would worsen, further impacting on the quality of education for its current pupils and leaving an even bigger budget deficit, should the school close later than the proposed date of 31 August 2025. Delaying the decision would not be in the best interest of children and families or education provision in the area because Sir Thomas Abney Primary School’s worsening financial position would make it increasingly more challenging to provide pupils with a rounded education that meets their academic, social and emotional needs.   The Council considered a number of alternative options set out in Appendix 4.