Agenda item

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

Recommendations:

1.    That approval be granted to commence a period of pre-statutory consultation on proposals to close Rowan Centre PRU.

2.    That a further report be brought to Cabinet following pre-statutory consultation, outlining the outcome of the consultation, and seeking approval to enter into a period of statutory consultation.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to commence statutory processes prescribed by the Department for Education (DfE) to bring forward proposals to formally close the Rowan Centre Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), following Statutory Guidance for Proposers and Decision Makers 2019 – Opening and Closing Maintained Schools.

The Rowan Centre PRU, Estate Road, Rawmarsh, had evolved over time into a provision exclusively for children with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) with a presenting need of Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH). However, all pupils who attended the Rowan Centre had now transferred to the Elements Academy at Dinnington via the EHCP process. The Elements Academy opened in September 2022 for pupils with EHCP’s with a presenting need of SEMH needs.

Subsequently, the Rowan Centre site had been vacated and stood empty. To use the site for other registered education provision, it was necessary to follow a statutory process to formally close the Rowan Centre as a Local Authority maintained School and make the site available for other educational purposes as required by DfE. Should proposals to formally close the Rowan Centre be approved following statutory process, the site could be offered to education providers for the use of education provision where there was an identified need and the proposal be approved by DfE in due course.

The option of leaving the site “as is” was rejected as the building would inevitably fall into disrepair over a period of time.

It was anticipated that a report would be brought back to Cabinet in February 2023 setting out the outcome of the pre-statutory consultation and seeking approval to proceed to a period of statutory consultation by public notice. A further report would then be presented in April 2023 outlining the outcome of the statutory consultation and seeking determination of the proposals.

Resolved:-

1.    That approval be granted to commence a period of pre-statutory consultation on proposals to close Rowan Centre PRU.

2.    That a further report be brought to Cabinet following pre-statutory consultation, outlining the outcome of the consultation, and seeking approval to enter into a period of statutory consultation.