PROPOSALTO MAKE PRESCRIBED ALTERATIONS TO FIVE ACRE WOOD SCHOOL,BOUGHTON LANE, MAIDSTONE, KENT, ME15 9QF AND Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5HS

Introduction

Kent County Council(KCC) is proposing to expand Five Acre Wood School by 55 places, taking the designated number of places offered from 275 to 330 from January 2016. KCC is also proposing to establish a Satellite provision at Holmesdale Technology College for students with a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) for moderate to severe learning difficulties.

Contact Details

The proposal to make prescribed alternations to Five Acre Wood Schooland Holmesdale Technology College is being published by Kent County Council, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ. Contact Name and Address: Jared Nehra, Area Education Officer (West Kent), Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQTel: 03000 412209

Provision details

Five Acre Wood School

Five Acre Wood School, is a successful all age (4-19) day District Special Community School for children and young people with Profound, Severe and Complex Learning Difficulties, including Autistic Spectrum Disorderand is located within Boughton Lane, Maidstone, Kent ME19QF. Pupils are organised into classes which take account of their age, development, special educational needs and disabilities. At the time of consultation a breakdown of these pupils by age groups is provided in the table below:

Yr / R / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14
No of Pupils / 11 / 15 / 15 / 20 / 21 / 18 / 22 / 17 / 18 / 23 / 13 / 15 / 7 / 12 / 10

At the time of consultation, of the 237 pupils on roll there were 85 Females and 152 Males.

The school’s vision is set out below:

Five Acre Wood School is a stimulating and safe learning community in which we all work together to nurture and maximise the potential of each and every individual and celebrate their achievements. Firm foundations and strong partnerships provide the platform for dynamic, challenging and personalised learning pathways, preparing our students for their life journey.

Holmesdale Technology College,

Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5HS, is recognised as ‘good’ by Ofsted. It is a trust school and technology college which brings a wealth of opportunity to enrich students’ learning. Holmesdale offers a full range of GCSEs and ensures that all its students are well placed to realise their aspirations. Holmesdale Technology College is part of the Malling Holmesdale Federation and the Mid Kent Learning Alliance. The Malling Holmesdale Federation also has trust partners; local, national and international employers and universities.

Holmesdale Technology College and The Malling School have been federated since 2007. Under the Malling Holmesdale Federation each school retains its own separate ethos and identity as an individual school whilst benefitting from the increased funding, including leading edge, specialist technology, facilities and equipment and highly trained, enthusiastic and innovative staff that close partnership working brings. At the time of consultation the current students on roll per year group is listed below:

Group description / Girls / Boys / Students
Year 7 / 58 / 65 / 123
Year 8 / 50 / 63 / 113
Year 9 / 82 / 78 / 160
Year 10 / 99 / 79 / 178
Year 11 / 85 / 81 / 166
Year 12 / 40 / 38 / 78
Year 13 / 31 / 30 / 61
Total / 445 / 434 / 879

Description of alteration and evidence of demand

In accordance with section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 Kent County Council intends to make the following prescribed alteration to Five Acre Wood School, Boughton Lane, Maidstone ME15 9QF:

  • To increase the designed number of places offered at Five Acre Wood School, Boughton Lane, Maidstone ME15 9QF from 275 to 330 places from 4 January 2016
  • To establish a Satellite provision at Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland ME6 5HS for 70 students with moderate to severe learning difficulties from 4 January 2016.
  • To alter the lower age range at Five Acre Wood School, Boughton Lane, Maidstone ME15 9QF to include nursery provision from 1 September 2016.

Kent County Council’s strategy for children and young people with special educational needs and who are disabled (SEND) identified the need to add capacity across the county. The SEND Strategy shows how we will be creating 209 extra places in special schools and 164 in mainstream schools.

As the strategic commissioner of school provision, the Local Authority has a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for the residents of Kent. This duty applies to special school provision, as well as mainstream settings. These proposals reflect KCC’s aspirations to increase the number of SEN school places across the County, as set out in the

Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2015-19, a copy of which is available from the website at:

Nursery Provision

For the Maidstone District the only setting that offers specialist early years provision is Cobtree Playschool for Special Children situated in Shepway North Ward. Maidstone Mencap Charitable Trust Ltd have confirmed that Cobtree Playschool currently has a very long waiting list and unfortunately will be unable to accommodate all those applying.

Objectives

KCC recognises the significant importance given to parent/carer views in the Students and Families Act reforms of SEN and Disabilities which came into force from September 2014 and has looked to ensure they are involved in shaping and influencing strategic decisions that affect their students and young people.

As the strategic commissioner of school provision, the Local Authority has a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for the residents of Kent, including sufficient special educational needs places.

The numbers of children with profound, severe and complex needs (PSCN) is increasing which has resulted in pressure on places in Kent. Equally, the numbers have continued to increase at Five Acre Wood School which indicates strong parental preference. Capacity constraints at the school have restricted its ability to grow. KCC is investing in a significant capital project to update the existing facilities and expand the school. It is intended that the expansion of Five Acre Wood School would happen with the number on roll growing incrementally.

Provision / Number of places
4-16 year olds at the Five Acre Wood Maidstone site / 230
Nursery provision at the Five Acre Wood Maidstone site / 15
Satellite for KS1 & KS2 Pupils at East Borough Primary School / 15
KS3/KS4 places at Holmesdale Technology College / 30
KS5 places at Holmesdale Technology College / 40
Total / 330

The new Satellite provision would incorporate up to 30 Key Stage 3 and 4 places and up to 40 places for Key Stage 5 pupils aged 16 and over. This will increase the choice of provision open to students and their families and provide continuity of a mainstream based placement for pupils that are educated in the Satellite at East Borough Primary School.

Unlike other district PSCN schools pupils are only able to be admitted to Five Acre Wood School at statutory school age. In order to address this issue and provide early identification and support KCC is proposing to expand the age range to include nursery provision. Five Acre Wood School also provides outreach support to schools in the Maidstone area and thereby increasing the age range of the Five Acre Wood School will provide a broader range of advice and specialist offer.

The effect on other schools, academies and educational institutions within the area

  • Proposal to alter the lower age range at Five Acre Wood School, Boughton Lane, Maidstone ME15 9QF to include nursery provision from 1 September 2016.

For the Maidstone district the only setting that offers specialist early years provision is Cobtree Playschool for Special Children situated in Shepway North Ward. This setting can take up to 20 children at any one time and is open term time only for two days a week offering a total of 8 hours childcare a week and provide additional support from a range of specialist therapists. Some of the children who attend this setting also go to a mainstream setting, especially those that want to access their full 15 hours free early education.

Five Acre Wood School is situated on the site of New Line Learning Academy and the academy has its own 34 place nursery offering childcare for 40 weeks a year between 7:30am and 5pm for babies and children up to 5 years. The majority of parents using this nursery work at the academy. In addition there is a private provider on site whose nursery offers 95 places and is open for 51 weeks a year from 7:30 am to 6:30pm for babies and children up to 5yrs.

In response to the consultationMaidstone Mencap Charitable Trust Ltd, who have provided a service for pre-school children with learning disabilities for almost 50 years, have confirmed they are delighted to hear that Five Acre Wood School is proposing to include nursery provision and feel this is a positive development for children and their families. Cobtree Playschool currently has a very long waiting list and unfortunately will be unable to accommodate all those applying. The proposal to offer an additional 15 spaces at Five Acre Wood will ensure there is a place for all children needing specialist provision and a high level of support. It will also ensure that parents and carers have a choice of setting.

As an established charity providing services for children and young adults aged from 0 to 25 and beyond.Maidstone Mencap have affirmed their aim for the future, to continue their partnership and to work together with Five Acre Wood in providing an Early Years’ service that complements and supports their new nursery provision. This can only be of benefit to the children and families we wish to support.

  • Proposal to establish a Satellite provision at Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland ME6 5HS for 70 students with moderate to severe learning difficulties from 4 January 2016.

The Kent Commissioning Plan for Education Provision 2015-19 outlines the requirement in Maidstone and Tonbridge and Malling Districts for additional Satellite places for pupils with moderate to severe learning difficulties. As stated above, current provision is at capacity and no adverse impact is anticipated on neighbouring schools or the local community.

Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long term value formoney will be achieved:

Capital – On 27 September 2013 the Education Cabinet Committee received a paper on the Targeted Basic Need projects and the Committee resolved to endorse the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on proposals toexpand and refurbish and build schools in the identified areas. A further decision, number 14/0078 was taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on 11 August 2014 to allocate £1.726 million from the Targeted Basic Need budget and £12million from the Basic Need Budget.

The new proposals to make a further prescribed alternation to Five Acre Wood School and Holmesdale Technology College by creating a secondary Satellite provision for up to 70 students on the Holmesdale Technology College site will require the reconfiguration of existing teaching rooms to make provision for specialist teaching spaces. The works include the refurbishment of all mobiles and the Wolfe Building to provide 5 classrooms, common room with food technology, staff areas, break out space, a care suite and adequate toilet provision. The capital costs associated with this new proposal are in the region of £495,000.

Revenue - The schools delegated budget will be allocated for an agreed number of commissioned places in accordance with the Place Plus High Needs funding methodology.

Human – Five Acre Wood School will appoint additional teachers, as the school size increases and the need arises.

The proposal will ensure specialist places are available more local to children’s homes thereby reducing transport costs and journey times.

Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation

Should the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform agree that the proposal can go ahead the implementation will take effect as identified below:

  • To Increase the designed number of places offered at Five Acre Wood School, Boughton Lane, Maidstone ME15 9QF from 275 to 330 places from4 January 2016
  • To establish a Satellite provision at Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland ME6 5HS for 70 students with moderate to severe learning difficulties from4 January 2016.
  • To alter the lower age range at Five Acre Wood School, Boughton Lane, Maidstone ME15 9QF to include nursery provision from1 September 2016.

Expanding onto an additional site

What is the rationale for this approach and this particular site?

It is proposed that the post 16 pupils currently educated by Five Acre Wood School at Aylesford School - Sports College will transfer to the new Satellite provision at Holmesdale Technology College.

Creating a Satellite provision at Holmesdale Technology College will provide provision from Years 7 to Year 15 from one location. It is anticipated that this proposal will enable KCC to establish a high quality hub which can encompass leadership and management from Five Acre Wood School as well as class bases.

A statutory proposal was undertaken in 2014 to establish a Specialist Resource Base Provision (SRBP) for up to 12 children with a statement of SEN or Education, Health and Care Plan equivalent for Autistic Spectrum Disorder at Holmesdale Technology College. The proposals set out in this paper do not affect the SRBP and there are no plans to transfer pupils from the roll of Holmesdale Technology College to Five Acre Wood.

Admission and curriculum arrangements

  • The satellite provision will cater for students from Year 7 to Year 15 from one location.
  • Children/students will be on the roll of Five Acre Wood School.
  • Pupils, although based in either provision, will move between the two sites at times. This will ensure that staff and students at both schools get to know each other and flexibility in the use of both premises will be maintained.

Governance and administration

  • Governance and leadership of the satellite provision will be provided by the Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team of Five Acre Wood School.
  • Staff for the satellite provision will be employed by Five Acre Wood School and there will be movement between the two sites in order that all staff gain experience and share expertise.

Physical characteristics of the provision:

Satellite provision enables a limited number of special school students to benefit from placement on a mainstream campus, where this is suitable for meeting their needs. In this instance, the proposed Satellite will provide students with learning difficulties access to specialist teaching areas and sports facilities not normally available in special schools.

The Satellite will have its own area within Holmesdale Technology College where students can receive some individual and small group teaching and help. Through use of timetabling and coordination, the students attending the Satellite will have access to the specialist teaching areas and sports facilities available at Holmesdale Technology College. We aim to have in place provision which offers a flexible match to the needs of students.

Internal adaptations to provide specialist toileting facilities will be required and we will also want to increase some of the exterior perimeter fencing.

The facilities available at Holmesdale in terms of PE, Science & Technology areas of the curriculum far exceed those usually available to secondary aged pupils in a special school.

KCC will work closely with the senior leadership teams at Five Acre Wood School and Holmesdale Technology College to ensure that all appropriate accommodation and facilities are provided to enable them to deliver an effective curriculum in a way that suits the needs of the school and its students. The schools will be able to provide parents with information about how they will organise the school day and any changes they will be considering. For Five Acre Wood School this includes both during and after the expansion.

Children and staff will move between the two provisions so will share facilities and resources available at both sites.

Special educational needs (SEN) provision

Kent County Council (KCC) has published a strategy to improve the outcomes for Kent’s children and young people with SEN and those who are disabled (SEND) as our current special school capacity has not kept pace with changing needs and we are spending too much on transporting children to schools far away from their local communities. The SEND Strategy is available on the website at:

The proposed alterations reflect KCC’s aspirations by offering continuity of SEN provision at Five Acre Wood School.KCC, the Governing Body of Five Acre Wood School and Holmesdale Technology College believe these proposals will enable the schools to use their knowledge and expertise to the full and accommodate Five Acre Wood children with a statement of Special Educational Needs/Education, Health and Care Plan (or equivalent) in a caring, nurturing environment.

Proposal to increase the designated number of places offered by Five Acre Wood School from 275 to 330 places from January 2016