Appendix A

Primary School Place Planning Topic Group

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of the current primary school place planning process (including an assessment of the data used)

QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED:

  1. What processes are involved in planning school places and what are the timescales?
  1. How comprehensive and reliable is the data which is used?
  1. How robust are the current Published Admission Number (PAN) setting processes?

To include:

-how well supply meets demand

-the accuracy of the forecast (including the strength of the linkages with Health, how do other authorities get GP data?)

-impact of migration trends

- impact of housing developments

-whether software tools are fit for purpose

-a comparison with peer authorities in terms data collection/definition and tools used

-the effectiveness of current planning areas, traffic across boundaries

  1. Why are there hot and cold spots and how effectively are these managed and lessons learnt and applied? How are hot and cold spots defined?

OUTCOME: to develop improved processes (where necessary) that are more effective with regards to forecast numbers meeting actual numbers and to validate the processes currently in place

METHOD: Topic GroupTARGET REPORT DATE: OSC March 2009

MEMBERSHIP:

T Heritage, D Hills, B Lee, K Coleman, A Lee, N Bell, T Douris (D Billing – sub)

EVIDENCE & WITNESSES

  • Local CountyCouncillors
  • Relevant past and present Executive Members for Education
  • Schools and their local stakeholders in areas of hot and cold spots
  • CSF School Place Planning Officers
  • Other Local Authorities
  • Sopra (software company)

Constraints:

  • Topic Group will not be considering admission rules.
  • Focus will be on planning areas, not priority areas
  • Primary school place planning does not include Middle Schools – only infant / junior / first and primary.

SUPPORT:

Scrutiny Officer: Natalie Rotherham

Lead Officers: Pauline Davis / Paul Wray

Democratic Services Officer:Nicola Hayden

HCC CHALLENGES: how this item helps deliver the Challenges

  1. Helping people feel safe & secure
  2. Maximising opportunities for children and young people
  3. Supporting the independence of the growing number of older people
  4. Tackling the causes and impact of congestion
  5. Dealing with worn out roads and pavements
  6. Reducing the impact of new development on the environment
  7. Maximising efficiency savings

CfPS OBJECTIVES – how the item delivers these objectives

  • Provides a critical friend challenge to executive policy makers and decision makers
  • Enables the voice and concerns of the public
  • Is carried out by independent minded governors who lead and own the scrutiny role
  • Drives improvement in public services

1

081022 03 Item 2 App A scoping doc v6.doc