HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL CABINET MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY … 0… · 1 hertfordshire county council...

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HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

CABINET MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2020 AT 2.00PM

WHETHER TO PUBLISH A STATUTORY NOTICE IN RESPECT OF THE PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL SCHOOLS: GREENSIDE, STEVENAGE; LAKESIDE, WELWYN GARDEN CITY; WOODFIELD, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD FOLLOWING CONSULTATION

Report of the Director of Children’s Services

Author: Sally Glossop, County Lead for SEND, Integrated Services for Learning; Tel - 01992 588556 Samantha Young, Senior Planning Officer, School Planning Team; Tel – 01992 555811

Executive Member: Terry Douris (Education, Libraries & Localism)

Local Members: Michael Hearn (Shephall)Nigel Quinton (Handside and Peartree)Andrew Williams (Hemel Hempstead East)

1. Purpose of the Report

1.1 To inform Cabinet of the outcome of the public consultation on proposals for the permanent enlargement, and associated capital works, to the premises of Greenside Community Special School, Stevenage, by 16 places; Lakeside Community Special School, Welwyn Garden City, by 8 places; and Woodfield Community Special School, Hemel Hempstead, by 32 places from September 2020.

2. Summary

2.1 There is an increasing number of children whose Education, Health and Care Plans identify a need for placement at special schools. A number of special schools across the county are at capacity.

2.2 This report sets out the proposal for the permanent enlargement of three special schools for pupils with severe learning difficulties (Greenside, Lakeside and Woodfield) and the associated capital works. The estimated costs of these proposals are included in paragraph 6.3.

2.3 All schemes aim to be delivered by September 2020.

2.4 These proposals are consistent with the vision of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy 2018-2023.

Agenda Item No.

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https://democracy.hertfordshire.gov.uk/documents/s4216/181126%2005%20SEND%20Strategy.pdf

2.5 Public consultations on the enlargement of the three schools were held between 11 November 2019 and 8 December 2019 (extended to 16 December 2019 for local schools and 17 December 2019 for special schools to ensure they had a full four-week consultation period).

2.6 A breakdown of the consultation responses is provided in section 5.

3. Recommendations

3.1 The Children, Young People & Families Cabinet Panel considered a report on this item of business at its meeting on 4 February 2020. The Panel recommended to Cabinet that Cabinet:

i. authorises the Director of Children’s Services to publish statutory notices to enlarge the premises at Greenside, Stevenage, by 16 places; Lakeside, Welwyn Garden City by 8 places and Woodfield, Hemel Hempstead by 32 places from September 2020;

ii. approves the capital costs of the expansion of the three schools, as set out in paragraph 6.3 of the report.

4. Background

4.1 On 26 November 2018, Cabinet approved the draft refreshed SEND Strategy 2018-2023 (see link at 2.4 above). The strategic vision within the Strategy is that all children and young people with SEND 0-25 will have access to high quality local provision that meets their needs.

4.2 A rising demand for places in special schools has meant that the existing special schools are at capacity. An analysis of need, location, condition, and site suitability has been undertaken and has identified a number of special schools where capital expenditure will be required to either maintain existing pupil places and/or to add places to meet local demand. These proposals will ensure that children whose Education, Health and Care Plans have identified the need for a special school place which provides for children with severe learning difficulties are appropriately met. The capital projects are much needed in the context of considerable demand for special school places and the need to provide quality local provision wherever possible to meet the SEND Strategic vision.

4.3 Approval to expenditure on three special schools is sought at this time, with the aim of completing the projects by September 2020.

4.4 The County Council’s public consultations for all three schools were held over

a four-week period beginning on 11 November 2019 and ended on 8 December 2019 (extended to 16 December 2019 for local schools and 17



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December 2019 for special schools to ensure they had a full four-week consultation period).

4.5 Consultation letters, attached at Appendix 2, were sent or emailed to:

(i) residents local to the school;(ii) MPs, County Councillors, District Councillors, Parish and Town

Councils and Local Authority Chief Executives; (iii) Trade Union representatives; (iv) Church Diocese representatives; (v) NHS representatives;(vi) Parent Governor representatives;(vii) HPCI (Herts Parent Carer Involvement) Representative(viii) Members of the of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee(ix) Local primary and secondary schools(x) All special schools(xi) Libraries and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.

4.6 The consultation letters and response form were also available on the County Council’s website. A total of 1700 letters and 944 emails were sent out.

5. Response to the consultation

5.1 Copies of the responses received are available to Members in the Members’ Lounge and will also be available to the Panel and Cabinet at the meetings on 5 February 2020 and 24 February 2020 respectively.

A summary of the responses to the Greenside, Lakeside and Woodfield

Schools consultation is:

5.2 A detailed analysis of the responses is attached in Appendix 1 which includes:

SchoolTotal Valid Responses Agree % Disagree %

Don't Know %

G.B. Response received?

Greenside Special Primary School 22 15 68.2% 4 18.2% 3 13.6% AgreeLakeside Special Primary School 47 42 89.4% 1 2.1% 4 8.5% AgreeWoodfield Special Primary School 79 52 65.8% 16 20.3% 11 13.9% AgreeTotal responses 148 109 73.6% 21 14.2% 18 12.2%

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(i) a breakdown of the number of responses received by school, and who they are from;

(ii) an analysis of the key issues raised and the response to them;(iii) a copy of the governing body responses;(iv) officer conclusion and recommendation.

6. Financial Implications

Revenue funding

6.1 The additional capacity at these special schools is partly to ensure that the existing number of pupil placements can be maintained and partly to add places to meet anticipated demand. The estimated cost of the 56 places, when all occupied, is £1.232m (based on £10k funding per place, plus an average top-up per pupil of £12k). This would be partly offset by a reduction in potential future school transport costs, as these projects will create additional local school places for children, resulting in fewer children being educated out of county. In general, there is a lower cost of provision from keeping students in county, compared to the alternative of out of county education.

6.2 Revenue funding for high needs provision (including Hertfordshire and out of county special schools but not school transport) is part of the High Needs Budget (funded from Dedicated Schools Grant). The cost of those additional places that will be funded from September 2020 has been provided for in the 2020-21 High Needs Budget.

Capital funding

6.3 Feasibility work has been undertaken and costs are estimated as follows:

School Name Date of ExpansionNo of Additional

Places Cost

EstimateGreenside September 2020 16 £0.69mLakeside September 2020 8 £0.73mWoodfield September 2020 32 £1.21m

56 £2.63m

As these costs are not yet confirmed, it is considered prudent that a programme contingency of 15% is budgeted for to cope with any increases to the cost of the schemes that may arise at the point of tender. The total budget to be approved is therefore £3.03m.

6.4 The costs can be met from the SEND Specialist Provision capital grant allocated to Hertfordshire, some of which have previously been approved. The main purpose of the grant is to fund improvements and provide additional capacity at settings, including special schools, for pupils with Educational Health Care Plans.

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6.5 SEND Provision Capital Grant :

Total allocation £11.191m

Less previously approved commitments £3.867m

Less estimated cost of these proposals £2.630m

Less contingency £0.400m

Allocation remaining £4.294m

6.6 The need for additional places and cost of these proposals were considered and endorsed by the SEND Senior Leadership Group on 1 October 2019.

6.7 Approval is therefore sought to the costs as identified in paragraph 6.3 above.

7. Equality Implications

7.1 When considering proposals placed before Members it is important that they are fully aware of, and have themselves rigorously considered the Equality implications of the decision that they are making.

7.2 Rigorous consideration will ensure that there is a proper appreciation of any potential impact of that decision on the county council’s statutory obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty. As a minimum this requires decision makers to read and carefully consider the content of any Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) produced by officers.

7.3 The Equality Act 2010 requires the county council when exercising its functions to have due regard to the need to: (a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct prohibited under the Act; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. The protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

7.4 EqIAs have been carried out on the proposals which are the subject of this report. Copies of the EqIAs are appended to this report at Appendix 3

Background InformationCabinet – 28 November 2018 https://democracy.hertfordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=146&MId=294

https://democracy.hertfordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=146&MId=294

https://democracy.hertfordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=146&MId=294

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Appendix 1

GREENSIDE SPECIAL SCHOOL: PROPOSAL TO ENLARGE THE SCHOOL BY 16 PLACES

Response to the consultation.

A total of 22 responses were received to the consultation of which 68.2% were in agreement with the proposal, welcoming the proposal and acknowledging the need for additional places in special schools, while 18.2% disagreed. Whilst the number of respondents in agreement is high, a number of those who agree to the enlargement have raised concerns relating to highways/parking issues. These have been included in the ‘Key Issues’ section, below. A breakdown of the responses is shown below:

Capacity of respondent

Total responses Agree % Disagree %

Don't Know %

Parent/ Carer 1 1 0 0 School governor 1 1 0 0 Member of staff 4 4 0 0 Resident 8 1 4 3 Grandparent 0 0 0 0 Other 8 8 0 0 Total valid responses 22 15 68.2% 4 18.2% 3 13.6%

The Governing body agrees with the enlargement by 16 places. A copy of the Governing Body’s response can be found at the end of this appendix.

The Herts Parent Carer Involvement (HPCI) group also supports this proposal. A copy of the HPCI response is also attached at the end of this appendix.

Copies of every response received will be available in the Members Room to enable Members to review the detail prior to the Education, Libraries and Localism Panel and Cabinet meetings.

Key issues raised

The following key issue was raised and a response is provided below.

1. The enlargement will lead to increased levels of traffic and associated parking (including staff parking), road safety and congestion problems (by 4 respondents).

A new car park is planned to be opened in March 2020. This car park will provide an additional 37 spaces for school staff and visitors. This is sufficient not only for the current needs, but also for the planned expansion.

The new car park will mean that staff will no longer park in Shephall Green.

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When the car park is complete, the front of the school will be remodelled. There will be increased space for the home / school vehicles. There will no longer be the need for mini buses and taxis to wait outside the entrance to Barnwell Middle School (which is the cause of the majority of the current difficulties in the locality).

There may be some additional traffic whilst the building work is undertaken. However, it is important to note that the majority of the construction traffic will access the site from Barnwell School.

Conclusions and recommendations

The majority of respondents (68.2%) agreed with the proposal. The most common concerns related to highways issues including traffic congestion and parking. The issues raised have been carefully considered and responded to both here and in the body of the main report.

Having analysed all of the responses, it is the Officer’s view that in light of:

the full agreement of the Governing Body to the expansion; the fact that Greenside School is well located to meet the additional demand;

the enlargement of Greenside School is the right solution to provide the additional places needed to meet the need from Sept 2020.

Issues such as the impact of these expansions on the highways network and specific proposals for building the additional accommodation required for the schools to expand will be the subject of a future town planning application which will involve formal consultation with local residents and the school community. Any school enlargement decision will be conditional upon the granting of town planning permission for the building scheme proposals.

It is therefore recommended that Cabinet authorise the publication of a statutory notice to increase the number of places at Greenside School.

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LAKESIDE SPECIAL SCHOOL: PROPOSAL TO ENLARGE THE SCHOOL BY 8 PLACES


A total of 47 responses were received to the consultation of which 89.4% were in agreement with the proposal, welcoming the proposal and acknowledging the need for additional places in special schools, while 2.1% disagreed. A breakdown of the responses is shown below:



Don't Know %

Parent/ Carer 2 2 0 0 School governor 1 1 0 0 Member of staff 19 18 0 1 Resident 16 12 1 3 Grandparent 0 0 0 0 Other 9 9 0 0 Total valid responses 47 42 89.4% 1 2.1% 4 8.5%


The Herts Parent Carer Involvement group also supports this proposal. A copy of the HPCI response is also attached at the end of this appendix.

Copies of every response received are available in the Members Room to enable Members to review the detail prior to the Education Panel and Cabinet meetings.

Key issues raised

The following key issue was raised and a response is provided below.

1. The enlargement will lead to increased levels of traffic and associated parking (including staff parking), road safety and congestion problems (by 11 respondents).

Whilst this proposal is to provide an additional 8 permanent places (an increase from 67 to 75 places), increased demand for special school places in the area has led to the school already taking additional children on a temporary basis. There are already 75 pupils on roll. There will therefore be no further impact on the highways network, or for residents in the area, as the children and staff are already at the school.

The school will continue to take a robust and proactive approach to parking both for the staff and visitors attending the school. They are aware of any congestion that could have a negative impact on local residents, specifically at school opening and closing times. Staff are restricted as to where they can park on the highway, visitors

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are fully appraised of the least disruptive path to take and any parking on the verge is strictly forbidden.

Whilst parking on site is limited, the potential for creating additional parking on site will be explored as part of this proposal, as will opportunities for local off-site parking in the area.




the full agreement of the Governing Body to the expansion; the fact that Lakeside School is well located to meet the additional demand;

the enlargement of Lakeside School is the right solution to provide the additional places needed to meet the need from Sept 2020.


It is therefore recommended that Cabinet authorise the publication of a statutory notice to increase the number of places at Lakeside School.

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WOODFIELD SPECIAL SCHOOL: PROPOSAL TO ENLARGE THE SCHOOL BY 32 PLACES


A total of 77 responses were received to the consultation of which 64.9% were in agreement with the proposal, welcoming the proposal and acknowledging the need for additional places in special schools, while 20.8% disagreed. A breakdown of the responses is shown below:



Don't Know %

Parent/ Carer 13 7 5 1School governor 1 1 0 0Member of staff 6 6 0 0Resident 42 24 10 8Grandparent 1 0 1 0Other 16 14 0 2Total valid responses 79 52 65.8% 16 20.3% 11 13.9%


The Herts Parent Carer Involvement group also supports this proposal. A copy of the HPCI response is also attached at the end of this appendix.

Copies of every response received are available in the Members Room to enable Members to review the detail prior to the Education Panel and Cabinet meetings.

Key issues raised

The following key issues were raised and a response to them provided below.

1. The enlargement will lead to increased levels of traffic and associated parking (including staff parking), road safety and congestion problems. (22 respondents)

Whilst this proposal is to provide an additional 32 permanent places (an increase from 88 to 120 places), increased demand for special school places in the area has led to the school already taking additional children on a temporary basis. There are already up to 104 pupils on roll. Therefore, the actual increase, on top of those already at school, is 16 places. Staff are already in place for the 104 pupils.

Additional on-site car parking spaces are included within this proposal to ensure that additional staff and visitor parking can be accommodated on site.

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The school will be updating its School Travel Plan to reflect the increase of pupils and staff.

The vast majority of the children attending the school are eligible to County Council school transportation and arrive and depart by minibus. On average, for every 8 additional students at a special school one additional minibus will be required (so only 2 more minibus journeys per day for 16 more children).

The school currently manages student drop-off and collection at the start and end of the school day and is exploring opportunities to minimise disruption to the immediate road network, through staggered timings and improved on site management of school transport at the start and end of the school day.

The school are also exploring off-site parking opportunities for staff.

2. Expanding the school will adversely affect its small-school ethos / Enlargement will lead to a decline in school standards, including support for vulnerable pupils (3 respondents).

There is not a direct relationship between the size of a school, the standards it achieves and its overall effectiveness. Schools of differing sizes can, and do, perform very well.

The key factors which contribute to school standards and effectiveness are the quality of leadership and management, and of learning and teaching. Where these factors are equal, larger schools have some significant benefits. The larger budget provides greater flexibility in terms of staffing and resources, there is a better distribution of management responsibilities; there are improved opportunities for staff promotion within the school leading to better capacity to sustain leadership; and consequently the school is less vulnerable to turbulence.

Woodfield School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted. This expansion proposal is fully supported by the Governing Body and the Headteacher has been fully involved in the development of the expansion proposal and is confident that the expansion will lead to further school improvement for all pupils.

The expansion will attract additional per pupil revenue funding that will ensure that there will be no change to the pupil staff ratio or the support offered to existing pupils.

It should be noted that two of the Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) schools in the county are already larger than the proposed capacity of 120 at Woodfield. Greenside has a current capacity of 140 and is rated Good by Ofsted and Amwell View has a capacity of 144 and is rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

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3. Enlargement will result in insufficient core facilities e.g. dining room, hall, playground (3 respondents)

The school will be provided with additional learning spaces as well as additional storage, toileting and changing facilities. Accommodation which has been lost in recent years, as the school have taken additional children on a temporary basis, will be re-established as part of this expansion proposal and will provide an enhanced offer for all children.

The dining experience will be improved for all students. The school will organise the timetabling and scheduling of the day to ensure all students continue to receive the same level of support, care and opportunities as currently delivered.

The proposal will include additional staff facilities, including an enlarged staff room and additional toilets.

4. Enlargement will result in the loss of outside space/playing field / The site is not large enough to accommodate the proposed enlargement (1 respondent).

The plans will be determined by the local planning authority and space standards will be considered as part of its consultation and determination.

The new block will be replacing an existing detached block with improved and enlarged accommodation. It will not result in the loss of any outside space currently accessed by pupils.




the full agreement of the Governing Body to the expansion; the fact that Woodfield School is well located to meet the additional demand;

the enlargement of Woodfield School is the right solution to provide the additional places needed to meet the need from Sept 2020


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It is therefore recommended that Cabinet authorise the publication of a statutory notice to increase the number of places at Woodfield School.

Governing Body responses

Greenside

‘As vice chair (the chair person is out of country) I have been asked to respond on behalf of the FGB of Greenside School to the consultation regarding the increase of pupil numbers at Greenside by 16 pupils - taking number on role to 158.

The head teacher Dave Victor brought the topic to both the Resources committee & FGB meeting on 30.09.19. Dave informed us the school was in discussion with HCC regarding increasing pupil numbers to 160. There was a brief discussion regarding the infrastructure of the school and its ability to manage effectively the increase of school population, the head teacher believed the school would manage the increase well. There were no objections raised at either meetings therefore I am able to respond positively to the consultation and agree to the pupil increase.’

Lakeside

‘I can assure you that all the governors are fully supportive and committed to this proposal. The actual numbers of pupils will not increase as we have had up to 75 pupils on roll over the last two years and the Headteacher and her staff have been working really hard to accommodate them all in the current school buildings. The impact on the children will be very positive, they will have space and more specifically, designed and designated areas in which to learn.I believe the environmental impact in terms of increased transport will be nil. The school already takes a very robust and proactive approach to parking both for the staff and any outsourced contractor who attends the school. We are all aware of any congestion that could have a negative impact on our neighbours, specifically at school opening and closing times and it has always been a priority to minimise this for the local community. If the building work goes ahead, we have already been discussing ways that we could re-double our efforts to maintain the excellent relationship we have with our neighbours and keep any traffic congestion to a minimum.The work to renew the demountable classrooms and ancillary areas will enable the school to provide a valuable service within the community. This will enable Lakeside School to continue to flourish and provide an outstanding education for local special needs children who currently, because of placing limitations, cannot be guaranteed a place.’

Woodfield

‘As Chair of Governors at Woodfield School, this proposal has been discussed with the Governing Body and has received unanimous support. The school currently has 104 pupils attending daily on a site that has been capacity audited to provide for 80 pupils. Providing additional accommodation will make a

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significant difference to the day to day running of the school. This will mean huge environmental benefits for both pupils and staff. Having agreed place and top up funding for 120 pupils will mean secure funding enabling the school to budget and plan effectively beyond the single year that we are able to do currently. As a currently outstanding school, the expansion will enable the school to continue to deliver the individualised destination led curriculum, to all our pupils from the youngest at age 3 and the oldest at age 19. Prospective parents are regularly contacting the school to arrange a time to visit and look at the school and the school is frequently receiving consultation paperwork for new pupils. The expansion will ensure that, in the near future, pupils who need the specialist provision that Woodfield can offer, will receive it, thus enabling them to make the best possible progress. The Governing Body wholeheartedly support this proposal and the development of the school in this way.’

HPCI response to consultation on proposals to increase the number of special school places at Woodfield School, Greenside School and Lakeside School

Herts Parent Carer Involvement (HPCI) is the parent carer forum for Hertfordshire recognised by the Department for Education, Hertfordshire County Council Children’s Services, Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and East and North Herts CCG as the main involvement partner for parents of children and young people with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). Parent representatives from HPCI have been, and continue to be, involved in all the work streams concerning specialist education in the Local Authority. They have been fully involved in developing and analysing the data which clearly shows that an increase in the number of special school places is greatly needed in the county. Therefore, we support all three named proposals.

The places are needed in response to the increase in the numbers of children in Hertfordshire combined with a greater complexity of needs that cannot all be met appropriately in mainstream settings. This is part of a much needed and overdue comprehensive strategy and planning programme to ensure that we have the right amount and type of provision for our children and young people into the future so that they can achieve the best outcomes possible.

These places will help to reduce the number of children who would otherwise have to go to out of area settings with the resulting increase in costs. This would leave less funding to be spent within the county. As a parent forum we do recognise that some parents of children currently at these schools may have concerns about the effect on their own children of the increase in places. We do believe that these can be appropriately and sensitively addressed and as an organisation are well placed to assist with this.

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Appendix 2

County Hall

Hertford, SG13 8DF

Tel: 0300 123 4043

My ref: School Planning

Date: 11 November 2019

Dear Consultee

Consultation on the proposal increase the number of places by 16 at Greenside School, Shephall Green, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9XS

We are consulting you on the following proposal:

An increase of 16 additional pupils at Greenside School, Shephall Green, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9XS from September 2020.

The proposal will support an increase in places at this school by 16. The current capacity of the school is 140 and with the proposed increase the capacity will be 156 pupils.

The school does not currently have enough accommodation to cater for the extra children. It is therefore proposed to provide additional accommodation to support the increased number of children.

Why is this being proposed?

In line with recent national trends for mainstream school places, and recent expansions at Hertfordshire mainstream schools, we are seeing an increase in the demand for special school places in some areas of Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire County Council ( the county council) considers it important to ensure that there are sufficient places available for all children with SEND as near as possible to their homes.

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Why this school has been chosen for an increase in pupils?

This school has been chosen for enlargement due to the increased demand on special school places in the area for children with severe learning difficulties and associated needs.

This school has space to enlarge and the expertise to meet the needs of the children identified.

Greenside School was last inspected by Ofsted in 2016, when it was rated Good.

There are no other special schools within the immediate area that this expansion will impact upon. The expansion of Greenside School will provide additional places within the local area, supporting sustainable travel and providing more high quality school places within the area whilst increasing the opportunity for parental choice.

The alterations required for enlargement

If a decision is made to enlarge this school, the county council would work closely with the school to provide the additional accommodation required. We would work hard to make sure that the accommodation supports pupils’ needs whilst also ensuring that good value for money is achieved in the context of restrictions on public sector finance. The work would be managed by the county council using contractors who would ensure a safe environment for pupils and staff, and minimise the impact of any building works at the school.

Any specific town planning matters associated with this school site would need to be addressed as part of the planning application, including highways, parking and conservation issues.

The capital cost of the expansion will be met by the Local Authority. Project costs are not yet finalised, but will be finalised once the commercial tendering process is complete.

Have your say

The county council believes that the enlargement of Greenside School will have a positive impact for its existing pupils, staff and local community by improving access to special school places, providing for enhanced education opportunities and for improved facilities in new buildings.

You have until 8 December 2019 to let us know your views. The easiest way you can do this is by completing the online form on our website at http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/your-council/consult/schoolsconsult/. You can tell us if you agree or disagree with the proposal and leave your comments.

If you do not have access to the internet you can visit your local library where free access is available to all Hertfordshire residents. Should you wish to request a hard copy of the response form or need help understanding this information you can email

http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/your-council/consult/schoolsconsult/

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[email protected] or alternatively please call us on the number above. An interpreting service is available for those who need it.

Your comments must be received by 8 December 2019. We will not be able to acknowledge or respond individually to your comments but they will be taken into account, as explained below.

How the decision will be taken This is a consultation and no decision has been made yet. All comments received will be made available to elected members who make the final decision. All responses may be made available in public reports, although personal details will be removed to respect individual privacy.

The following timetable outlines the decision-making process. Please note that meetings marked with * will be open to the public. Although it will not be possible to inform everyone individually of the decisions made, you will be able to access this information throughout the process at: https://cmis.hertfordshire.gov.uk/hertfordshire/Calendarofcouncilmeetings.aspx.

Process DatePublic consultation (4 weeks) 11 November to 8 December 2019Education, Libraries & Localism Panel* 5 February 2020

Cabinet* 24 February 2020

Statutory notice period (4 weeks) 3 March to 30 March 2020Delegated officer decision if no objections are received 10 April 2020

Cabinet* (for final approval if one or more objections are received) 26 May 2020

Implementation September 2020

Yours faithfully

Jenny ColesDirector of Children’s Services

mailto:[email protected]

https://cmis.hertfordshire.gov.uk/hertfordshire/Calendarofcouncilmeetings.aspx

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County Hall

Hertford, SG13 8DF

Tel: 0300 123 4043



Dear Consultee

Consultation on the proposal increase the number of places by 8 at Lakeside School, Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YN


An increase of 8 additional pupils at Lakeside School, Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YN from September 2020.




In line with recent national trends for mainstream school places, and recent expansions at Hertfordshire mainstream schools, Hertfordshire County Council ( the county council) are seeing an increase in the demand for special school places in some areas of Hertfordshire. The county council considers it important to ensure that there are sufficient places available for all children with SEND as near as possible to their homes.

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Lakeside School was last inspected by Ofsted in 2018, when it was rated Outstanding.

There are no other special schools within the immediate area that this expansion will impact upon. The expansion of Lakeside School will provide additional places within the local area, supporting sustainable travel and providing more high quality school places within the area whilst increasing the opportunity for parental choice.





Have your say

The county council believes that the enlargement of Lakeside School will have a positive impact for its existing pupils, staff and local community by improving access to special school places, providing for enhanced education opportunities and for improved facilities in new buildings.



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If you do not have access to the internet you can visit your local library where free access is available to all Hertfordshire residents. Should you wish to request a hard copy of the response form or need help understanding this information you can email [email protected] or alternatively please call us on the number above. An interpreting service is available for those who need it.









Yours faithfully




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County Hall

Hertford, SG13 8DF

Tel: 0300 123 4043



Dear Consultee

Consultation on the proposal increase the number of places by 32 at Woodfield School, Malmes Croft, Hemel Hempstead HP3 8RL


An increase of 32 additional pupils at Woodfield School, Malmes Croft, Hemel Hempstead HP3 8RL from September 2020.




In line with recent national trends for mainstream school places, and recent expansions at Hertfordshire mainstream schools, we are seeing an increase in the demand for special school places in some areas of Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire County Council (the county council) considers it important to ensure that there are sufficient places available for all children with SEND as near as possible to their homes.

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Woodfield School was last inspected by Ofsted in 2017, when it was rated Outstanding.

There are no other special schools within the immediate area that this expansion will impact upon. The expansion of Woodfield School will provide additional places within the local area, supporting sustainable travel and providing more high quality school places within the area whilst increasing the opportunity for parental choice.





Have your say

The county council believes that the enlargement of Woodfield SLD School will have a positive impact for its existing pupils, staff and local community by improving access to special school places, providing for enhanced education opportunities and for improved facilities in new buildings.



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If you do not have access to the internet you can visit your local library where free access is available to all Hertfordshire residents. Should you wish to request a hard copy of the response form or need help understanding this information you can email [email protected] or alternatively please call us on the number above. An interpreting service is available for those who need it.









Yours faithfully




Appendix 3

Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) (Post-Consultation)Proposal to enlarge Greenside (Special) School, (DfE No. 919/7042), Shephall Green, Stevenage, Hertfordshire,

SG2 9XS from September 2020.

1. Who is completing the EqIA and why is it being done?

Title of service / proposal / project / strategy / procurement you are assessing

Hertfordshire County Council has consulted on the proposal to enlarge Greenside (Special) School, (DfE No. 919/7042), Shephall Green, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9XS from September 2020

Names of those involved in completing the EqIA Tom Stacey, Phil Brunt

Head of Service or Business Manager Jennie Newman

Team/Department Integrated Services for Learning

Lead officer contact detailsJennie Newman, Head of Integrated Services for LearningContact: [email protected] Tel: 01992 588556

Focus of EqIA A rising demand for school places in special schools has meant that Greenside school is running at near capacity. An analysis of need, location, condition, and site suitability has identified the need for additional accommodation in order to add an additional 16 places.


Stakeholders

A 6 week public consultation on this proposal concluded on the 17 December 2019. The following groups are considered to be Stakeholders and have been consulted:

Parents/carers/pupils, staff and governors at the school concerned;HPCI (Herts Parent Carer Involvement is an independent parent carer led;Parents/carers/pupils, staff and governors at the school concerned;Residents local to the school concerned;Local Pre-Schools, Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special schools;MPs, County Councillors, District Councillors, Parish and TownCouncils and Local Authority Chief Executives;Trade Union representatives;Church Diocese representatives;NHS representatives;Parent Governor representatives on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Hertfordshire County Council;Further Education establishments, pre-schools, playgroups, Children’s Centres, toddler groups and day nurseries;Libraries and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux;Senior officers in Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services department and in Herts Property Services;The consultation letter was also published on the website of the School.The consultation materials will also available on the Hertfordshire County Council website, www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

2. List of data sources used for this EqIA (include relevant national/local data, research, monitoring information, service user feedback, complaints, audits, consultations, EqIAs from other projects or other local authorities, etc.)

Title and brief description Date Gaps in data

January 2019 school census data on gender split, English as an additional language (EAL), ethnicity, free school meal (FSM) eligibility, number of children with EHCP (S), Education and Health Care Plans (E) or SEN Support (K).Countywide data includes pupils at special schools.

School Census January 2019

No gaps have been identified at this stage.

Greenside School

County Primary

Students (Years 2 to 19) 137 84845Number Minority Ethnic Students (not White British and excluding Refused and Not Obtained)

51 24831

% Minority Ethnic Students (not White British and excluding Refused and Not Obtained)

37.23% 29.27%

Number EAL (English as an alternative Language) (First language Not English or believed not to be English excluding Refused and Not Obtained)

12 10532

% EAL (English as an alternative Language) (First language Not English or believed not to be English)

8.76% 12.41%

Number with Statement (or EHCP (S or E)) 136 2295% with Statement (or EHCP (S or E)) 99.27% 2.70%Number SEN Provision (K) 1 10089% SEN Provision (K) 0.73% 11.89%Number Eligible for FSM (at date of Census) 30 6508% FSM (Free School Meals) (at date of Census) 21.90% 7.67%Number of Male Students 89 42744% of Male Students 64.96% 50.38%Number of Female Students 48 42101% of Female Students 35.04% 49.62%

3. Analysis and assessment: review of information, impact analysis and mitigating actions Protected characteristic group

What do you know?What do people tell you?

What does this mean – what are the potential impacts of the proposal(s)?

What can you do?

Age Please see aboveIt is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their age.

No mitigation is currently required but the position will continue to be monitored and if any issues in respect of the protected characteristic are identified then the Action Plan below will be amended accordingly.

Disability Please see above

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their disability. However, the responsible Officer will continue to monitor closely this aspect.

Any issues identified or known, as well as the duties found within Part 6, Section 149 and Schedules 10 and 13 of the Equality Act 2010 concerning disability will be factored into the individual scheme design. Any building scheme will also meet the requirements to avoid Disability Discrimination under Section 15 of the Equality Act 2010.

Gender reassignment Please see above

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their gender reassignment.


Pregnancy and maternity Please see above

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their pregnancy or maternity.


Race Please see aboveIt is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their race.


Religion or belief Please see above

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their religion or belief.


Sex/Gender Please see aboveIt is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their sex/gender.


Sexual orientation Please see above

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their sexual orientation.


Protected characteristic group



What can you do?

Marriage and civil partnership Please see above

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their marriage or civil partnership.


Carers Please see aboveIt is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people disproportionately because of their caring responsibility.


Other relevant groupsConsider if there is a potential impact (positive or negative) on areas such as health and wellbeing, crime and disorder, Armed Forces community.

It is not anticipated at this stage that the proposals will affect people in other relevant groups disproportionately.

No mitigation is currently required but the position will continue to be monitored and if any issues in respect of people in other relevant groups are identified then the Action Plan below will be amended accordingly.

Opportunity to advance equality of opportunity and/or foster good relations

Enlargement of the school will provide staff with more opportunities for career development.

Officers will ensure that all new accommodation provided to schools as part of enlargement works will be fully accessible to disabled pupils and staff.To identify the impact of the proposed enlargement of the premises of Greenside School to support an increase in the number of places available at the school by 16 places from September 2020.

In line with recent national trends for mainstream school places, and recent expansions at Hertfordshire mainstream schools, we are seeing an increase in the demand for special school places across Hertfordshire. The County Council considers it important to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places available for all children with SEND as near as possible to their homes.This school has been chosen for enlargement as there is a need for increased places for the age group and type of need that this school caters for. The school has the space to enlarge and the expertise to meet the identified needs of the children.

Conclusion of your analysis and assessment

OUTCOME AND NEXT STEPS SUMMARY

i. No equality impacts identified- No major change required to proposal

ii. Minimal equality impacts identified- Adverse impacts have been identified, but have been objectively

justified (provided you do not unlawfully discriminate)- Ensure decision makers consider the cumulative effect of how a

number of decisions impact on equality- No major change required to proposal

iii. Potential equality impacts identified- Take ‘mitigating action’ to change the original policy/proposal,

remove barriers or better advance equality- Set out clear actions in the action plan in section 4.

A 6 week public consultation on the proposal to add additional accommodation in order to add an additional 16 places ended on the 17 December 2019. At the conclusion of the consultation all responses received have been carefully considered and with that knowledge no issues that were raised had any impact on any of the protected characteristics considered as part of this EqIA.

iv. Major equality impacts identified- The adverse effects are not justified, cannot be mitigated or show

unlawful discrimination- You must stop and remove the policy

[you should consult with Legal Services]- Ensure decision makers understand the equality impact

4. Prioritised Action PlanImpact identified and group(s) affected Action planned Expected

outcomeMeasure

of success

Lead officer and

timeframe

Stakeholders Explore ways of supporting parents, carers, governors and staff through the change process

Jennie NewmanDecember 2019

Disabled Pupils

Ensure that any known issues around disability are factored into the individual scheme design and that the building scheme is compliant with the Equalities Act.

Obtain information around individual needs of children with disabilities.


This EqIA has been signed off by:Lead Equality Impact Assessment officer Jennie Newman Date: 06 December 2019Head of Service or Business Manager: Jennie Newman Date: 06 December 2019Review date: April 2020

Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) (Post-Consultation)Proposal to enlarge Lakeside (Special) School, (DfE No. 919/7023), Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City,

Hertfordshire, AL8 6YN from September 2020.



Hertfordshire County Council has consulted on the proposal to enlarge Lakeside (Special) School, (DfE No. 919/7023), Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YN from September 2020





Focus of EqIA – what are you assessing? A rising demand for school places in special schools has meant that Lakeside school is running at near capacity. An analysis of need, location, condition, and site suitability has identified the need for replacement accommodation in order to add an additional 8 places.

Stakeholders


Parents/carers/pupils, staff and governors at the school concerned;HPCI (Herts Parent Carer Involvement is an independent parent carer led organisation which aims to improve services for young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in Hertfordshire)Residents local to the school concerned;Local Pre-Schools, Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special schools;MPs, County Councillors, District Councillors, Parish and TownCouncils and Local Authority Chief Executives;Trade Union representatives;Church Diocese representatives;NHS representatives;Parent Governor representatives on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Hertfordshire County Council;


Further Education establishments, pre-schools, playgroups, Children’s Centres, toddler groups and day nurseries;Libraries and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux;Senior officers in Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services department and in Herts Property Services;The consultation letter was also published on the website of the School.

The consultation materials will also available on the Hertfordshire County Council website, www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

2. List of data sources used for this EqIA




No gaps have been identified at this stage.

Lakeside School

County Primary


24 24831


40.00% 29.27%


9 10532

% EAL (English as an alternative Language) (First language Not English or believed not to be English)

15.00% 12.41%


3. Analysis and assessment: review of information, impact analysis and mitigating actions




What can you do?

























What can you do?









Opportunity to advance equality of opportunity and/or foster good relationsEnlargement of the school will provide staff with more opportunities for career development.

Officers will ensure that all new accommodation provided to schools as part of enlargement works will be fully accessible to disabled pupils and staff.To identify the impact of the proposed enlargement of the premises of Lakeside School to support an increase in the number of places available at the school by 8 places from September 2020.




v. No equality impacts identified- No major change required to proposal

vi. Minimal equality impacts identified- Adverse impacts have been identified, but have been objectively



vii. Potential equality impacts identified- Take ‘mitigating action’ to change the original policy/proposal,


A 6 week public consultation on the proposal to replace accommodation in order to add an additional 8 places ended on the 17 December 2019.

At the conclusion of the consultation all responses received have been carefully considered and with that knowledge no issues that were raised had any impact on any of the protected characteristics considered as part of this EqIA.

viii. Major equality impacts identified- The adverse effects are not justified, cannot be mitigated or show



4. Prioritised Action PlanImpact identified and group(s) affected Action planned

Expected outcome

Measure of

success

Lead officer and

timeframe



Disabled Pupils





Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) (Post-Consultation)Proposal to enlarge Woodfield (Special) School, (DfE No. 919/7025), Malmes Croft, Leverstock Green,

Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP3 8RL from September 2020.



Hertfordshire County Council is consulting on the proposal to enlarge Woodfield (Special) School, (DfE No. 919/7025), Malmes Croft, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP3 8RL from September 2020





Focus of EqIA – what are you assessing? A rising demand for school places in special schools has meant that Woodfield school is running at near capacity. An analysis of need, location, condition, and site suitability has identified the need for additional accommodation in order to add an additional 32 places.


Stakeholders


Parents/carers/pupils, staff and governors at the school concerned;HPCI (Herts Parent Carer Involvement is an independent parent carer led organisation which aims to improve services for young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in Hertfordshire)Residents local to the school concerned;Local Pre-Schools, Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special schools;MPs, County Councillors, District Councillors, Parish and TownCouncils and Local Authority Chief Executives;Trade Union representatives;Church Diocese representatives;NHS representatives;Parent Governor representatives on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Hertfordshire County Council;Further Education establishments, pre-schools, playgroups, Children’s Centres, toddler groups and day nurseries;Libraries and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux;Senior officers in Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services department and in Herts Property Services;The consultation letter was also published on the website of the School.

The consultation materials will also available on the Hertfordshire County Council website, www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

2. List of data sources used for this EqIA




No gaps have been identified at this stage.Woodfield

SchoolCounty Primary


43 24831


47.78% 29.27%


11 10532

% EAL (English as an alternative Language) (First language Not English or believed not to be English) 12.22% 12.41%


3. Analysis and assessment: review of information, impact analysis and mitigating actions




What can you do?

















What can you do?

















Opportunity to advance equality of opportunity and/or foster good relationsEnlargement of the school will provide staff with more opportunities for career development.

Officers will ensure that all new accommodation provided to schools as part of enlargement works will be fully accessible to disabled pupils and staff.

To identify the impact of the proposed enlargement of the premises of Woodfield School to support an increase in the number of places available at the school by 32 places from September 2020.




ix. No equality impacts identified- No major change required to proposal

x. Minimal equality impacts identified- Adverse impacts have been identified, but have been objectively



xi. Potential equality impacts identified- Take ‘mitigating action’ to change the original policy/proposal,


A 6 week public consultation on the proposal to add additional accommodation in order to add an additional 32 places ended on the 17 December 2019.

At the conclusion of the consultation all responses received have been carefully considered and with that knowledge no issues that were raised had any impact on any of the protected characteristics considered as part of this EqIA.

xii. Major equality impacts identified- The adverse effects are not justified, cannot be mitigated or show



4. Prioritised Action PlanImpact identified and group(s) affected Action planned

Expected outcome

Measure of

success

Lead officer and

timeframe



Disabled Pupils





HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL CABINET MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY … 0… · 1 hertfordshire county council...

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