KENT COUNTY COUNCIL
EQUALITY ANALYSIS / IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EqIA)
Directorate:
EDUCATION, LEARNING & SKILLS
Name of policy, procedure, project or service
SCHOOL PROJECT
What is being assessed?
The following proposed changes to Foxwood and Highview Schools:-
• Merger of the two schools into one “new” school catering for pupils with Profound, Severe and Complex Needs (PSCN).
• Change to the designated number of pupils the school can admit from a combined total of 282 - 122 (Foxwood) and 160 (Highview) - to 336.
• Relocation of the school to a new purpose built building in Park Farm Road, Folkestone.
Responsible Owner / Senior Officer
DAVID ADAMS, AREA EDUCATION OFFICER, SOUTH KENT
Date of Initial Screening
14 November 2013
Date of Full EqIA :
Update each revised version below and in the saved document name.
Version / Author / Date / Comment1 / David Adams / 14.11.13
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Screening Grid
Characteristic / Could this policy, procedure, project or service affect this group less favourably than others in Kent? YES/NOIf yes how? / Assessment of potential impact
HIGH/MEDIUM
LOW/NONE
UNKNOWN / Provide details:
a) Is internal action required? If yes what?
b) Is further assessment required? If yes, why? / Could this policy, procedure, project or service promote equal opportunities for this group?
YES/NO - Explain how good practice can promote equal opportunities /
Positive / Negative / Internal action must be included in Action Plan / If yes you must provide detail /
Age / No / High / None / Yes. Positive as the additional places will mean that more families and children will benefit from the specialist facilities provided by the school. The school will be provided with purpose-built buildings that will greatly enhance the educational experience for students. This will have a positive impact on students and staff through the improvement of the learning environment.
Disability / No. The new school buildings will provide facilities and accommodation that will be fully compliant with the Equality Act 2010. / High / None / Yes. There will be more places available to meet the needs of children with complex learning needs. The overarching aim of the SEND Strategy is to support every children and young person in Kent to achieve their full life potential, whatever their background.
Improved facilities will be provided within the new school building to better meet the needs of the children.
Gender / No / High / None / The school is for boys and girls aged between 3 and 19 years.
Gender identity / N/A / Unknown / Unknown / N/A
Race / No. The school accepts all statemented children naming the school on their statement, regardless of race or ethnicity. / High / None
Religion or belief / No. The school accepts children of faith or no faith with statements of SEN who name the school on their statement. / Low / None / Yes - The school curriculum covers all religions.
Sexual orientation / N/A / Unknown / Unknown / unknown
Pregnancy and maternity / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Marriage and Civil Partnerships / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Carer's responsibilities / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
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Part 1: INITIAL SCREENING
Proportionality - Based on the answers in the above screening grid what weighting would you ascribe to this function – LOW
Low / Medium / HighLow relevance or Insufficient information/evidence to make a judgement. / Medium relevance or Insufficient information/evidence to make a Judgement. / High relevance to equality, /likely to have adverse impact on protected groups
Context
This proposal forms part of a programme to deliver KCC’s commitment to rebuild or refurbish all of our special school buildings.
KCC’s capital programme for special schools has already rebuilt or refurbished 14 maintained special schools in Kent. Investment continues to bring similar transformation to the remaining 10 schools. There does, however, remain a pressing need to commission further capacity for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Behavioural, Emotional and Social Needs (BESN) and Speech and Language Needs. (The Kent Commissioning Plan for Education Provision 2013-2018)
KCC’s Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Strategy identified the need to add at least 275 additional ASD and BESN places, including 175 places in Kent’s special schools.
Foxwood School has a large open site on a hillside with a range of buildings of varying quality. The site is not appropriate given the needs of its pupils. Highview School has a smaller site but with many different levels due to the sloping nature of the site. Both sites are no longer able to meet the numbers or needs of the respective pupil cohorts.
Aims and Objectives
The project is to merge the two schools and provide a new purpose built school building for pupils with Profound, Severe and Complex Needs (PSCN). The building will be able to accommodate an additional 54 pupils (total 336) in line with the targets set out in the Kent Commissioning Plan and SEND Strategy.
Background documents are:
· Kent’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision 2013-2018
· Kent’s SEND Strategy
· Bold Steps for Kent
Beneficiaries
· Local children with PSCN and their families
· The Local Authority
Information and Data
The data used in the project is published data on pupil numbers, school performance data and characteristics of the local pupil population.
Foxwood School is in Hythe East Ward in Hythe and population data gathered by Experian Limited in 2011 showed the following information regarding the main language of residents aged 3 and over:
· 96% English
· 2% South Asian language
· 1.1% another European language
Highview School is in Folkestone Park Ward in Folkestone and population data gathered by Experian Limited in 2011 showed the following information regarding the main language of residents aged 3 and over:
· 96.8% English
· 1.2% another European language
· 0.7% South Asian
Information for both schools is set out below.
· Foxwood School: Special school designated for pupils with Profound and Severe Needs, with a designated number of 122.
· Highview School: Special school designated for pupils with Complex Needs, with a designated number of 160.
School summary data gathered in the Autumn Term 2013 is as follows:
Foxwood / Highview / Kent / National% Eligible for Free School Meals / 23.7 / 42.2 / 33.9 / 36.7
% SEN with Statements / 91.1 / 100 / 96.0 / 96.3
% SEN without Statements / 8.9 / 0 / 4.0 / 2.6
% Pupils with EAL / 11.9 / 5.4 / 8.3 / 12.7
*IMD Score – January 2013 / 25.9 / 25.8 / 19.2 ** / N/A
IMD Rank (out of 24)
(1 is the most deprived) / 6 / 7
Ofsted outcome / 07.03.12:
RI / 21.06.11
Good
* Index of Multiple Deprivation (based on pupils’ home postcodes)
** IMD score for Kent is as at January 2012
For more detail on the Community visit: http://www.kent.gov.uk/your_council/kent_facts_and_figures/area_profiles.aspx
Involvement and Community Engagement
Consultation is currently underway with the community and other stakeholders, including the following groups:
· Local Children’s Centres and pre-school providers
· Schools in Shepway
· PSCN Schools in South Kent
· Elected Members (Kent County Council, Shepway District Council)
· Folkestone and Hythe Town Councils
· Local MP
· Shepway Clinical Commissioning Group(s)
· Any Local Authority that maintains a statement of SEN for children at either school.
Potential Impact
Adverse Impact:
No adverse impacts have been identified at this stage; however the outcome of the public consultation and community consultation will enable the Local Authority to test out these assumptions.
Positive Impact:
Some positive impacts identified are:
• That children with Profound, Severe and Complex Needs will be able to attend a brand new purpose built building specifically designed to meet their needs.
• There will be an increase in total number of places available for children and young people with PSCN.
JUDGEMENT
Option 1 – Screening Sufficient YES/NO
Justification:
Option 2 – Internal Action Required YES/NO
Following this initial screening our judgement is that the outcome of public consultation will highlight any issues and if necessary will initiate a further EqIA.
Option 3 – Full Impact Assessment YES/NOT KNOWN
Action Plan
Monitoring and Review
Equality and Diversity Team Comments
Sign Off
I have noted the content of the equality impact assessment and agree the actions to mitigate the adverse impact(s) that have been identified.
Senior Officer
Signed: Name: David Adams
Job Title: Area Education Officer Date:
DMT Member
Signed: Name:
Job Title: Date:
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Equality Impact Assessment Action Plan
Protected Characteristic / Issues identified / Action to be taken / Expected outcomes / Owner / Timescale / Cost implicationsAge
Disability
Gender
Race
Religion or Belief
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