Lancaster Diocese

Introduction

On 28 January 2014, central government changed the consultation and approval procedures relating to proposals for changes in the age ranges of schools. As of 28 January, the requirement for publication of statutory proposals to effect age range changes of up to two years and expansion by the enlargement of premises has been relaxed. There remains in force requirements for schools to “have regard” to the previous guidance, however.

The Board of Education and Formation at the Diocese (BEF) already has in place procedures under which schools may apply for approval to “expand” their provision (increase their published admission number- PAN) and the School Buildings Committee (SBC) oversees arrangements for enlargement of premises. The BoEF now wishes to make clear the arrangements by which schools may seek approval to establish provision for two-year-olds on their sites.

Reasons for the approval requirements

Whilst the central government has de-regulated age-range changes of up to 2 years, the BoEF and SBC need to be assured that the establishment of provision for either nursery or places for 2-year-olds does not:

have a detrimental impact on the ability of the school to deliver core provision to 5 to 11-year-olds;
generate a future need for additional accommodation,
have a significant impact on the provision of other Catholic schools in the area.

The BoEF and SBC recognise the significant contribution which having maintained nursery and two-year-old provision can have, both on the ability of the school to fill to capacity and on pupil performance and will seek to support such proposals where possible.

Information required for the consideration of a proposal

Schools wishing to consider establishing either new nursery or two-year-old provision must always contact Paul Lovell (School Building Surveyor) to discuss the proposal in the first instance. Janice will advise on the detail of the information required for a case to be made to the BoEF, but in normal circumstances this will include:

a plan showing how the provision will be accommodated in the school premises;
a costed proposal for funding any changes to the building necessary to accommodate the provision;
an assessment of the impact on the proposal on the net capacity of the school;
evidence that the revenue implications of the provision have been thought through and that the proposal is financially sustainable in the long term;
written evidence that the proposal has been considered by the full governing body and is supported.