Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which provided a summary of the outcome of the first phase of consultation on the re-designation and extension of the age range at Ashley School.

 

          Details of the outcome from the consultation exercise, which took place in December 2012, were attached at Appendix A. The key issues raised during the process were noted as:

 

·     the size of provision – would it be large enough;

·     training for staff;

·     expansion of the physical environment of the school;

·     increased choice;

·     whether the school would have to change its status to an  Academy;

·     extension of the age range from 16 – 19; and

·     impact on the provision currently offered by Riverside College.

 

It was reported that the re-designation and expansion of the age range at Ashley School provided the Local Authority with the opportunity to address a gap in provision and ensured that children and young people of Halton had access to appropriate provision within their community.

 

The next stage of statutory consultation, which it was reported would now commence on 30 January 2013, would seek views on the following:

 

·       Re-designation of Ashley School so that it can cater for  vulnerable pupils, with a diagnosis of Autism and for those with identified Social Communication Needs who have a moderate to high learning ability;

·       Provision of 70 places for pupils aged 11-16; and

·       Extension of the age range to 19 with the provision of up to a maximum of 42 post-16 places

 

 

Reason(s) for Decision

 

A gap in provision had been identified for vulnerable pupils with a diagnosis of Autism and for those with identified Social Communication Needs who had a moderate to high learning ability.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

No change to the current provision was considered.  However this was rejected as it would not address the gap in provision identified and the views of the majority of the consultees.

 

Implementation Date

 

The next phase of the consultation was scheduled to commence on 31^st January 2013 for 6 weeks.

 

RESOLVED: That the Board

 

1)    notes the response to the first phase of consultation;

 

2)    agrees the revised post-16 capacity; and

 

3)    approves the statutory consultation.