Name

Minute No. and Subject

Reason

Interest

Councillor Glenn Jordan

36. Early Years Development Report

Trustee of Bobtails Daycare Centre in Lipson

Private

Councillor Glenn Jordan

38.  Plymouth Adult and Community Learning Service (PACLS)

Director of Routeways

Private

Councillor Ian Gordon

38.  Plymouth Adult and Community Learning Service (PACLS)

Director of North Prospect Community Learning

Private

Councillor Alison Casey

38. Plymouth Adult and Community Learning Service (PACLS)

Son has an apprenticeship with PACLS

Private

(a)

the introduction of the free entitlement of 15 hours of early education for eligible two year olds from September 2013 had placed additional demand on childcare provision in Plymouth;

(b)

a detailed needs analysis had been carried out and it was estimated that places for 270 children were needed to cater for the September 2013 target of 696 children;

(c)

extensive work had been carried out within the childcare sector to encourage them to rearrange existing provision to cater for more two year olds, which had increased the number of places available to 430;

(d)

a total of £1.7m (including £500k from the DfE) had been allocated to the development programme, which had demonstrated the commitment to ensure our most vulnerable children had the best start in life;

(e)

a shortage of places had been identified in the North West and South West of the city, where the majority of children eligible for the free entitlement (based on Free Schools Meal criteria) would live, based on analysis of live birth data;

(f)

a number of projects had been identified as key to ensuring there would be additional capacity for the projected 2014 target of 1400 children, when the eligibility for two year olds was extended.  These projects included:

·         Noah’s Ark at Stonehouse;

·         Four Woods Children’s Centre;

·         High Street Primary School;

·         Morice Town Primary School;

·         Ernesettle Community School;

·         Ham Drive Nursery School;

·         Mount Wise Primary School;

·         Marlborough Primary School;

·         Barne Barton:

o   Phase 1 - a 36 place nursery on the Barn site, operational from April 2014;

o   Phase 2 - a second nursery to be planned in collaboration with the community.

(g)

additional places had also been planned for Whitleigh at the Wood View campus and Wise Owls on the Woodfield School site;

(h)

additional capacity was required in Honicknowle which would be addressed by the re-development of Knowle Primary School, incorporating Stepping Stones Nursery;

(i)

intensive support had been provided by the Early Years’ Service to those schools who had taken two year olds for the first time;

(j)

childcare sufficiency assessments had identified that Barne Barton had insufficient places for three and four year olds in their immediate locality, which had now been addressed through the two year old programme;

(k)

some nurseries were unable to fill their places for three and four year olds.  The nurseries involved had taken eligible two year olds, and provided flexible sessions that met the needs of working parents to address this ;

(l)

nursery schools at Ham Drive and Plymbridge had significant vacancies, particularly in the autumn term.

(m)

Childrens’ Centres had ensured that parents had access to education facilities, if required, whilst their children were in nursery;

(n)

nurseries were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

(a)

there were two types of admission – normal point of entry – starting school for the first time, and in-year admission – for those who sought to transfer after school had started;

(b)

parents were encouraged to list three preferences in their application, although it was not a legal requirement for them to do so;

(c)

there were sufficient primary school places available in Plymouth, but not necessarily in the desired schools;

(d)

the birth rate in Plympton had increased;

(e)

the birth rate in Plymstock had increased slightly, and surplus school places were available which were now filled by children who didn’t live in the area;

(f)

it was acknowledged that there would be a problem in the future in Plympton, and Woodford Primary would be increased from a two-form to a three-form entry to alleviate the pressure;

(g)

the application form required a signed declaration that the applicant had read the parent’s guide booklet;

(h)

assistance was available to parents to enable completion of the application form;

(i)

the School Admissions Team tried, where possible, to ensure siblings attended the same school;

(j)

parents whose children were allocated school places some distance away from their homes may be able to apply for school transport or a petrol allowance;

(k)

it was recommended that parents refer to the guide when making their application;

(l)

new housing developments had been taken into account , and new schools were planned at Derriford and Morley Park, with extensions planned to Widewell School and Pomphlett Primary School, which would ensure there were sufficient school places available.

(a)

OFSTED were due to undertake an inspection in November 2013;

(b)

PACLS had produced a feasibility study after receiving authorisation from Plymouth City Council to explore the viability of externalising the current service;

(c)

they had looked at different ways to reduce their budget;

(d)

they had looked at working with partners – including Open Doors International Language School, Mountbatten Watersports Centre and North Prospect Community Learning Ltd, amongst others;

(e)

PACLS had investigated the proposed establishment as a Public Service Mutual (PSM);

(f)

PACLS had been advised that it was unlikely they would be able to continue to use the Guildhall as a venue for their training sessions;

(g)

conversations had taken place with Les Allen, Transformation Programmes Manager, to investigate alternative accommodation if PACLS were externalised;

(h)

if PACLS were externalised, they would be required to work to the values of the Co-operative Council.

(a)

the Democratic Support Officer responsible for Ambitious Plymouth had made every effort to fill the vacant co-opted representative positions for faith representatives and parent governors;

(b)

the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) was meeting on Wednesday 13 November to discuss if any members of Group A (Christian and other religious denominations, not including Church of England), would like to take up the opportunity of becoming a co-opted representative.

(1)

the ‘School Transport Provision Review’ item is removed from the Work Programme scheduled for the meeting on 3 February 2014;

(2)

a ‘Plymouth Adult and Community Learning Service (PACLS) OFSTED update’ item is added to the Work Programme for the meeting on 3 February 2014;

(3)

a ‘Proposed establishment of the Plymouth Adult and Community Learning Service (PACLS) as a Public Service Mutual (PSM)’  item is added to the Work Programme for the meeting on 3 February 2014.