Agenda item - Update Mouslecoomb Primary School

Report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning (copy to follow)

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report including the fact that:

(i)             The school currently remains a Local Authority maintained school;

(ii)            No academy sponsor has been found;

(iii)          The academy order remains in place.

81.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning which provided an update on Moulsecoomb Primary School. The report was introduced by the Head of Education Standards & Achievement.

81.2    Councillor Grimshaw was very concerned that the school could move to an academy, despite the school, parents and the Council all being opposed to it. The school valued and supported every child and continued to improve, which had been acknowledged by an Ofsted/HMI visit last year.

81.3    Councillor Nield was disappointed that the school moving to an academy was now back on the agenda. She noted that the Regional School Commissioner had offered additional funding school improvement support if the school moved to an academy but not if it remained in the control of the Local Authority.

81.4    Councillor Allcock said that recent reports from Ofsted had shown that the school was improving, and yet still wanted the school to move to an academy.

81.5    Councillor Hills echoed the comments of other Councillors and despite no local people wanting the school to move to an academy and the school improving, the process was continuing.

81.6    Ms Watson (lawyer) said that the Government had changed the statutory guidelines last year to give further examples of what would provoke the Secretary of State to rescind an Academy Order. One example given would be if the school were re-inspected by Ofsted and judged to be Good or Outstanding and the Secretary of State was satisfied that these improvements could be sustained without the support of a strong sponsor. That was something which could be pursued with the Regional Commissioner if members which to do that.

81.7    The Chair noted that the school had been visited by Ofsted the week before. The Head of Education Standards & Achievement said that that visit would not give a new grade but was to assess how the school had dealt with the pandemic. There was currently no information on when Ofsted would resume their visits.

81.8    The Chair reminded everyone that there would be a Hands Off Mouslecoomb Primary School event at 6pm on 10 March 2021 which people could register to attend, and both she and Councillor Allcock would be speaking.

81.9    RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report including the fact that:

(i)             The school currently remains a Local Authority maintained school;

(ii)            No academy sponsor has been found;

(iii)          The academy order remains in place.