Agenda item

This report shows the historical trend for special school numbers in the City of York and projected rolls through to 2013.

The Chair welcomed George Gilmore, Head of Applefields, to the meeting who was attending to co-present the report with Officers.

The Committee considered a report which showed the historical trend for special school numbers in the City of York and projected rolls through to 2013. Consideration was also given to five charts which showed the following

            Chart 1 – Number on Roll in Day Special Schools

Chart 2 – Numbers on Roll in Hob Moor Oaks and Applefields by year group – May 2006

Chart 3 – Projected Roll of Applefields from existing Hob Moor Oaks intake only; assuming all Applefields pupils stay on to Year 14 and assuming no new entrants from mainstream or special

Chart 4 – Projected Roll of Applefields: including current Hob Moor Oaks intake and cumulative effect of 4 additional places per year.

            Chart 5 - Numbers of pupils in Year Groups 12-14 at Applefields

Members were reminded that the local authority closed down the 4 special schools in the city in 2004 and replaced them with 2 new schools, both of which were now fully operational and in new premises. Both schools had been built for rolls of approximately 120. Currently there were fewer than 100 pupils at Hob Moor Oaks and over 140 pupils at Applefields.

Officers confirmed that the impact of the successful implementation of the policy of inclusion now resulted in the relatively low number of children in primary special school provision. At secondary level there had not been such a significant reduction as it had proved more difficult to support children with complex disabilities in mainstream secondary schools and relatively more pupils were staying on for years 12 – 14.

Officers referred to the existing and proposed actions, set out in the report, which would impact on capacity on the Applefields site. They indicated that North Yorkshire County Council were also examining special school provision but that this was still ongoing, that a 10 place unit was to be provided in the Tadcaster area which may have some impact and that Brayton High School were proposing to set up a new autism unit. Officers confirmed that they were trying to seek some resolution to the problems at Applefields and that in the meantime, on a temporary basis, additional classrooms were to be provided from September.

George Gilmore confirmed that Applefields now had over 147 pupils, which would increase to 150 in September way beyond the schools 120 pupil capacity. He expressed concern at the charts which projected the school numbers up to 2013 especially as interest had been expressed by a number of parents in sending their children to the school in future years. He requested implementation of a clear admissions policy and for procedures putting in place to manage the numbers down to one that could be safely accommodated in the school.

Members raised the following points

• Credit should be given to both teachers and officers for the work undertaken in the special schools.
• As special school children grew older extra space would be required to meet their needs.
• An examination needed to be made of Medium/Long term provision for Post 16 special school pupils.

RESOLVED:             That the report be noted.