Agenda item

This report summarises Archbishop Holgate’s School’s (AHS) plan to develop post-16 provision and provides the context within which the Executive Member can formally respond to the school’s proposals.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·        Approve the school’s proposals (subject to clarifications as stated in paragraphs 46-48 and 64 of the report).

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                 

·        This recognises the strength of the school and its ambition to take a lead as a high performing specialist school with a vocational specialism.

·        The school meets all the criteria as described in paragraph 33 of the report.

·        It provides a framework for development and opportunity in line with City of York Lifelong Learning Partnership (CYLLP) 14-19 strategy. This strategy and partnership recognises the strengths of existing 16-19 providers and seeks to ensure that Archbishop Holgate’s School (AHS) plans help the city to improve provision for those young people who currently tend to opt out of education at the age of 16 and to help and to help meet the needs of learners across the City by offering extended choice and diversity.

·        It is an opportunity to develop existing partnership work and provide additional facilities for learners.

·        It allows for further debate about the detail of this proposal. We propose that the school is asked to amend its proposal (appendix 6 to the report) to clarify how its proposals fit within the new funding regime. In particular, Members need to be assured about:

-        Which programmes are core, definitely needed and therefore certain to be funded

-        Which programmes the school wishes to offer and will seek access funding through a commissioning process

-        The school’s contingency plans to manage the costs of running the new building: in the short term as curriculum provision is gradually scaled up; in the long term if expected learner numbers are not secured

Members considered a report that summarised Archbishop Holgate’s School’s plan to develop post-16 provision and provided the context within which the Executive Member could formally respond to the school’s proposals.

An overview of the school’s revised proposals is set out in the list below:

·        A post-16 Learning Centre with 160 places which develops and extends existing post-16 provision in the City by offering:

o       Locality based provision, addressing issues of travel to learn, retention and achievement in East York identified in the Strategic Area Review.

o       A focus on applied learning, addressing a shortage of school-based provision in applied learning at entry level, Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.

o       Employment skills and imperatives for future economic development, particularly the Science City agenda.

o       A collaborative approach, with partnership working at its heart.

o       An innovative approach based on lines of learning, business partnerships and new qualifications including the Diploma, in specialist purpose-built facilities.

o       Increased enrichment and credibility through combining specialised Diplomas with an international Diploma.

o       Provision which responds to the aspirations of parents, which broadens learner choice and which thereby meets the guidelines of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DSCF).

o       High quality provision in a school graded Outstanding, with high added value, a strong track record of development and success, and acknowledged as having excellent capacity to continue to improve.

The Assistant Director of School Improvement and Staff Development reported that the proposals met a clearly identified need and there was, nationally, a strategic need to develop provision of education for those in the 14-19 age bracket. She felt it was important to stress that there were still ongoing discussions regarding some issues, including those linked with responsibility for funding.

Some Members felt that it would have been better if the strategic policy regarding post-16 education provision had been implemented before this proposal had come about.

Discussions were had regarding whether provision at Archbishop Holgate’s School would undermine any other provision in the City and it was noted that there would be no duplication across the City. Learners would be given access to a wide range of courses and schools would not be offering more subjects than necessary. There would be no overprovision of courses.

Concerns were raised about whether the needs of the City were being met, whether it would be possible to attain the numbers of pupils required, the effect on other local schools in the area and the position the Local Authority would be in in the future with regards to revenue.

Officers responded that there were some difficulties within the City regarding the uptake of post –16 education and some of these could be eased if the correct kind of provision was available. The recent Ofsted report stated that the school had outstanding pastoral care and was very good with vulnerable learners.

Members were pleased to know that discussions were still ongoing regarding funding as they had concerns appertaining to this.

o       n

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·        Approve the school’s proposals (subject to clarifications as stated in paragraphs 46-48 and 64 of the report).¹

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                 

·        This recognises the strength of the school and its ambition to take a lead as a high performing specialist school with a vocational specialism.

·        The school meets all the criteria as described in paragraph 33 of the report.

·        It provides a framework for development and opportunity in line with City of York Lifelong Learning Partnership (CYLLP) 14-19 strategy. This strategy and partnership recognises the strengths of existing 16-19 providers and seeks to ensure that Archbishop Holgate’s School (AHS) plans help the city to improve provision for those young people who currently tend to opt out of education at the age of 16 and to help and to help meet the needs of learners across the City by offering extended choice and diversity.

·        It is an opportunity to develop existing partnership work and provide additional facilities for learners.

·        It allows for further debate about the detail of this proposal. We propose that the school is asked to amend its proposal (appendix 6 to the report) to clarify how its proposals fit within the new funding regime. In particular, Members need to be assured about:

-        Which programmes are core, definitely needed and therefore certain to be funded

-        Which programmes the school wishes to offer and will seek access funding through a commissioning process

-        The school’s contingency plans to manage the costs of running the new building: in the short term as curriculum provision is gradually scaled up; in the long term if expected learner numbers are not secured