Information on Loughborough

Cabinet considers future of school and sixth form education in Melton

Posted on 01/03/2010

Leicestershire Councty Council Cabinet Office

1 March 2010

Cabinet considers future of school and sixth form education in Melton

The County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve a proposal that would see King Edward VII School in Melton Mowbray close and could see Post-16 education delivered through a new collaborative arrangement.

County Council officers say this will put the needs of learners first.  It will ensure pupils have wide curriculum opportunities, raise standards and remove surplus school places.

The number of Year 7 pupils entering King Edward VII School in the last three academic years has been disappointingly low.  This has led to concern that in the future the school could not deliver a broad and balanced curriculum or a wide range of GCSE options.

At its meeting last December, Cabinet agreed to launch a consultation exercise on the future of King Edward VII School with a series of options.

An alternative ‘Option 6’ was put forward by governors at King Edward VII.  This proposed that the school remains as an 11-19 school, with a relatively small number of up to 400 11-16 year-olds and manages the new Post-16 Centre.

This option has been analysed by County Council officers who believe a school of this size would limit the curriculum choices available for pupils aged 11-16.  The numbers of 11-16 year old pupils projected by the governing body at 400 are also much higher than current pupil forecasts, which indicate pupil numbers of just 250-300 as a maximum.  This option, therefore, cannot be recommended by officers.

Analysis of the consultation responses and representations from schools’ governing bodies show a lack of a clear consensus on a way forward.  

The results of the consultation exercise show that views are divided in terms of closing or retaining King Edward VII School.

The governance arrangement for the Post-16 Centre remains a key issue.  The Council wants to ensure high quality learning from Key Stage 3 through Key Stage 4 to post-16 and proper consideration of young people with special needs.  

Officers say this would be best achieved by the new Post-16 Centre being jointly managed by Belvoir High School, John Ferneley College, Long Field School, Brooksby Melton College and Birch Wood School under a legally binding collaborative agreement.  Cabinet will be asked to note that further work would be undertaken towards establishing this arrangement.

Ivan Ould, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for the Children and Young People’s Service, said: “Putting the needs of learners first and ensuring young people receive the best education possible is our priority.

“We want to raise standards achieved by pupils, establish a long-term solution and provide effective governance arrangements for Post-16 education.”

If Cabinet agree to the proposals, pupil movement from King Edward VII would be over two years to minimise disruption and the admission numbers at John Ferneley College and Long Field School in Melton Mowbray would be increased.

There would be no Year 7 intake in September ’10.  Current Year 7 and 8 pupils would remain until September ’11 when they would move to other partner schools.  Year 9 pupils would move to other partner schools to start their GCSEs in September ’10 and Year 10 pupils would stay to complete their GCSEs.  Post-16 students would remain until the new Post-16 Centre opens in September ’11.

Cabinet meets on March 9th.

Notes to editors

A copy of the Cabinet paper will be available online from 12 noon on Tuesday, March 2nd.  This includes the results of the consultation exercise.