Closing date: 18 May 2021
Proposal to make a prescribed alteration to Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School, Chester Road, Malpas, SY14 8PY.
School and Local Authority Details
The proposal to make a prescribed alteration to Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School, Chester Road, Malpas, SY14 8PY from September 2021 is being published by Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council, 4 Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BE. Contact Name and Address: Carolyn Davis, Senior Manager, Education Infrastructure (Nicholas House), 4 Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BE.
The proposal
It is proposed to permanently expand the age range of Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School from 3-11 years of age to 2-11 years of age, to take effect from 1 September 2021. The school has made such additional provision on a temporary basis since January 2020.
Consultation
The Council previously consulted on a proposal to increase the age range of the school from 4-11 years of age to 3-11 years of age in 2018. Strong representations were received suggesting that the proposal should be modified to increase the age range to 2-11, however the school did not consider it had the capacity to do this at the time. Having previously established the desirability of the current proposal, and the school having successfully implemented this measure on a temporary basis, the Council now propose to proceed directly to the formal stage of Notice and Representation. This period of formal consultation will run from 21 April 2021 to 18 May 2021.
Any person or organisation may submit comments to the Council on the proposal and these must be taken into account by the decision-maker who will be the Cabinet Member for Children and Families. The decision must be made in accordance with statutory guidance.
Description of alteration and evidence of demand
It is proposed that the school permanently increase its age range by making maintained nursery provision for two year-olds. The Governing body of the school believe this increase in the age range of the school is required:
- To ensure all local two year-old children with an entitlement to early years education are able to access that entitlement in a local setting of their preference.
- To provide the opportunity for parents to have continuity in children’s progression from early years education to statutory age schooling.
The Council’s Early Years Commissioner has advised these places will be necessary to enable the Council to continue to discharge its duty to ensure a sufficiency of places for two year-olds in the area local to the school.
Ofsted has found the school’s provision to be ‘Good’.
The effect on other pre-school provision within the area
The proposed provision will allow for the attendance of a maximum of 8 two year-olds at any time within a total capacity of 26 two to four year-olds able to be accommodated. This is a marginal increase on the registered capacity of the private provider who previously used the accommodation to made provision for 24 two to four year-olds. Significant housing growth is taking place in the local area, consequently it is not anticipated there will be a detrimental impact on other local provision.
Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long term value for money will be achieved
Operational costs will be met from the school’s revenue budget, supported through the Council’s mechanisms for funding early years education.
Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation
If approved by the decision-maker (and subject to there being no appeal by Chester or Shrewsbury Dioceses to the Schools Adjudicator) the Governing Body wish to implement the proposal from 01 September 2021.
The procedure for responses: support, objections and comments
A public notice has been published on the Council's website.
A public notice announcing the start of a period of public representations is to be published in the Whitchurch Herald on Wednesday 21 April 2021.
Anyone wishing to discuss this proposal with an officer of the Council and a representative of the school during the period of representations should arrange to do so by emailing schoolplanningandpolicy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk within two weeks of the publication of the public notice to arrange a telephone conversation/video call.
Within four weeks from the date of publication, any person may send in a response supporting, objecting or commenting on the proposal;
- By sending a response to the Senior Manager, Education Infrastructure (Nicholas House), Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council, 4 Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BE
- By email: schoolplanningandpolicy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
All responses received will be shared with the decision-maker, the Cabinet Member for Children and Families. Full details of how we manage the information provided by respondents can be found at: https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/system-pages/privacy-notices/consultations-privacy-notice.aspx
