Decision details

1)    That Officers be authorised to develop plans for consultation to retain Almondbury Community School with the removal of the secondary phase (Key Stages 3 and 4), consolidate the school as a 210 place primary provision (with nursery) in the Key Stage 1 building at Fernside Avenue and seek an Academy Sponsor, in partnership with and approved by the RSC, in order to retain necessary Key Stage 1 and 2 places for Almondbury and the wider Huddersfield South East area.

2)    That authority be delegated to the Director for Children’s Services, in consultation with Cabinet Portfolio Holders, to (i) develop consultation materials on the basis of the proposals and (ii) organise and carry out a non-statutory consultation about the proposals.

3)    That Officers be authorised to work with neighbouring schools (King James’s School and Newsome High School) to explore their willingness for the realignment of the existing Almondbury Community School secondary Priority Admission Area in order that future children have priority for their secondary education in one of the neighbouring secondary schools.

4)    That Officers be authorised to work with King James’s Academy Trust to assess the level of capital investment that would be required to enable King James’s School to create 30 additional planned places from September 2020.

5)    That Officers be authorised to assess the level of investment that would be required to enable the existing Key Stage 1 building of Almondbury Community School on Fernside Avenue to be utilised by the revised age range.

6)    That the outcomes of the non-statutory consultation be submitted to Cabinet for further consideration of next steps.

7)    That it be noted that the school is a PFI school and to request that  Officers provide a future report on the impact of changes upon the future use of the site and options for the use of the site/buildings.