Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1. Note the report and the capital plans brought forward for Newman School following academisation to TEAM Multi-Academy Trust.

2. Approve the decision for the proposed £2.5 million capital investment to create additional school places, as part of the latest round of SEND Sufficiency and in line with the Safety Valve Capital programme.at Newman School.

Consideration was given to report which provided an update on Children and Young People Services (CYPS) Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Sufficiency planning. The update related to the growth of special school places at Newman School. The report laid out proposals for Newman School following the school’s academisation to Team Multi-Academy Trust.

In Rotherham 22.2% of pupils had either a statutory plan for Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND), known as an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP), or were receiving SEND support (previously known as school action and school action plus). This compared to an average of 18.4% across all England Authorities. In order that the educational needs of children and young people in the Borough with SEND could continue to be met, the Council had a responsibility to create a sufficiency of education provision to meet the needs of all pupils.

The sufficiency of places and capital development of Newman School was

identified as part of sufficiency planning in the Phase Three update to Cabinet in November 2020. Improvements and investment on the site had included a new hydrotherapy pool, development of the Dinnington Campus and in September 2023, the opening of the new build Primary Block at the Whiston site.

Continued development of the Newman School site was a key feature of the current phase of SEND Sufficiency which was introduced to Cabinet in March 2024 and was part of the Local Authority’s Safety Valve Capital Programme. In support of the latest phase, Schools’ Capacity Assessments were completed by an external consultant commissioned by CYPS. This identified that existing special schools were full or were working at close to capacity.

The Council were responsible for funding school growth. The current sufficiency plan included increasing the capacity at the Newman Additional Resource (NAR) to meet the projection that the school would grow to support 195 pupils (the current number was 160). Capital investment was required for adaptations to meet the needs of the NAR cohort. £2.5 million capital investment at Newman School would create the additional 35 school places required and was already factored into the Safety Valve sufficiency plans that had previously been presented to Cabinet.

As of the 1 September 2024, Newman School transferred to TEAM Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Following academisation, the maintenance and condition of the Newman School estate was the responsibility of the Trust. As part of the academisation process, there was an opportunity for the incoming

Trust, TEAM, to apply to the Department for Education (DfE) for capital investment across the Newman Estate through the Strategic School Investment Bid (SSICB) Fund.

To support sufficiency (and increase the number of available school places from 160 to 195) some adaptations would also be made to the existing Dinnington Campus. £2.5 million of capital investment was proposed within the Council’s Safety Valve Capital Programme to fund this school growth in line with SEND Sufficiency planning. This investment would supplement the SSICB funding to build a new secondary block on the main Whiston site and refurbishment of the Grade 2 listed building. The Council’s capital investment would enable the new build and refurbishment to accommodate additional school places across the sites.

There had been various reports to Cabinet since February 2018 on the phases of the SEND sufficiency planning. It had also been a key area of focus for the Improving Lives Select Commission. Parents and Carers were regularly consulted on the various phases.

Cabinet Members welcomed the update and were excited for the developments.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the report and the capital plans brought forward for Newman School following academisation to TEAM Multi-Academy Trust.

2.    Approve the decision for the proposed £2.5 million capital investment to create additional school places, as part of the latest round of SEND Sufficiency and in line with the Safety Valve Capital programme.at Newman School.