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Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 13 November 2025 7.00 pm
November 13, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required)Summary
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The Education and Children's Services Committee met on Thursday 13 November 2025 to discuss school place planning, childcare sufficiency, and the annual reports from Achieving for Children. Key decisions included noting the school place planning update, approving the childcare sufficiency assessment, and noting the Achieving for Children annual reports.
School Place Planning
The committee received an annual update on school place planning, highlighting a decrease in primary school applications since 2015, leading to a vacancy rate of 16.7% across primary schools. While some schools remain oversubscribed, others are experiencing significant surplus places. In response to falling rolls, the council is proposing permanent reductions in the forms of entry at five primary schools, subject to public consultation. For secondary schools, demand remains high, with schools collectively over capacity. However, projections indicate a potential reduction in pressure towards the end of the decade. The report also detailed the growth in in-borough specialist places and ongoing projects for new special schools, including Clarendon at Petersham and Strathmore at Hampton, both expected to open in September 2026. The London River Academy, a SEMH school, is now expected to open in 2027 due to delays.
Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment confirmed that the council currently has sufficient childcare to enable the majority of parents to work and access quality, flexible, and affordable provision. The report noted a slight decrease in the number of childminders and a slight drop in quality in full-day care provision. Key priorities for 2025-2026 include developing data to better understand demand from families facing additional challenges, enhancing outreach to support families with the greatest need, and supporting early years and childcare leaders to improve the quality of provision. The assessment also highlighted a significant drop in birth rates, particularly among 0-1 year olds, which providers will need to consider in their business plans.
Achieving for Children Annual Reports 2024-25
The committee noted the Achieving for Children (AfC) annual reports for 2024-25, which provide an overview of the organisation's activities, achievements, and financial performance. The Impact Report highlighted progress against AfC's four strategic priorities: Safe and Healthy, Positive Futures, Stronger Families, and Dynamic Workforce. Positive external inspection results were noted, including 'Outstanding' judgements for children's social care services in Kingston and Richmond. The Participation Report detailed AfC's efforts to involve children, young people, and families in shaping services, including the development of a participation strategy and various youth-led initiatives. The Annual Equalities Report outlined AfC's commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a focus on strengthening EDI within the workforce and community engagement. The Annual Report and Accounts, audited by Crowe LLP, confirmed a true and fair view of the organisation's finances, despite a reported net loss of £0.216 million for the year, largely due to pension scheme liabilities.
Q2 Quarterly Monitoring Report
The committee noted the Q2 Quarterly Monitoring Report, which indicated a projected overspend of £1.335 million on the General Fund revenue services for children's services. The primary driver for this overspend is within social care and early help, particularly due to higher-cost placements for children looked after. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) fund is forecast to overspend by £5.025 million, leading to a cumulative deficit of £5.250 million. The report also detailed the latest position on the Capital Programme, with a projected spend of just over £20 million.
Committee Work Programme
The committee noted the Committee Work Programme and made a referral to the Policy and Performance Review Board to investigate granting priority in the housing allocations scheme to care-experienced young people. Discussions also included the potential inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education and its implications for schools and pupils.
The meeting also covered the minutes of the previous meeting, petitions, ward concerns, and declarations of interest, all of which were noted or confirmed as having no items for discussion.
Delegated decisions linked to this meeting
Decision summaries below are AI-generated from the council’s published record. Check the council source or the full decision page before relying on them.
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Committee Work Programme
Recommendations Approved -
Ward Concerns
Recommendations Approved...to approve the recommendations, noting that there were no ward concerns raised.
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Achieving for Children Annual Reports 2024-25
Recommendations Approved... the Education and Children's Services Committee of Richmond upon Thames noted Achieving for Children's Impact Report, Participation Report, Equalities Report, and Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-25.
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Petitions
Recommendations Approved -
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Recommendations Approved...that the minutes of the meeting held on 18th September 2025 were agreed and the Chair was authorised to sign them.
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Declarations of Interest
Recommendations Approved -
Apologies
Recommendations Approved...to note the apology for absence from Councillor Bridges-Westcott.
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Q2 Quarterly Monitoring Report
Recommendations Approved...that the Committee noted the projected overspend on the General Fund revenue services, the forecast overspend of the Dedicated Schools Grant, and the latest position on the Capital Programme.
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School Place Planning - annual update
Recommendations Approved... to note the annual update report on the school place planning strategy, which included information on primary, secondary, and specialist provision, demand for places, current capacity, future demand, and ongoing projects related to new provision.
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Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
Recommendations Approved... the Committee noted the report on the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, which details the availability of early years and childcare places and outlines priorities and actions for 2025-2026.
Attendees
Topics
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Meeting Documents
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