The report on the outcome of public representations received in response to the statutory proposal to close Raines Church of England Foundation School was considered by the Mayor in Cabinet on Wednesday 29^th January, 2020. The following was agreed and published on Friday 29^th January, 2020.

1.    That having considered all of the supporting documentation:  particularly, the statutory notice set out at Appendix 1; the comments and objections raised by the eight respondents at Appendix 2; the Equalities Assessment (EA) at Appendix 3; and the report on the alternative options set out in Appendix 4, the proposal, presented by the Local Authority and London Diocesan Board, to close Raine’s Foundation School with effect from the 31st August 2020 be approved.

The above has been ‘Called-In’ by Phillip Rice (Co-opted Member) and Ahmed Hussain (Co-opted Member).  This is in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules of the Council’s Constitution.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) considers:

1.    The contents of the attached report, review the Mayor in Cabinet’s decision (provisional, subject to Call In) arising; and

2.    Decide whether to accept the decision or to refer the matter back to the Mayor with proposals and reasons.

CONSIDERATION OF THE “CALL IN”

Having met the “Call In” request criteria, the matter is referred to the OSC in order to determine the “Call In” and decide whether or not to refer the matter back to Cabinet for further consideration. 

The following procedure is to be followed by the Committee for consideration of the “Call In”:

·         Chair to invite a call-in member to present call-in.

·         Chair to invite members of the Committee to ask question.

·         Chair to Invite Cabinet Member to respond to the call-in.

·         Chair to invite members of the Committee to ask questions.

·         Followed by a general debate.

N.B.    In accordance with the OSC Protocols and Guidance adopted by the Committee at its meeting on 4th June, 2013, any Member(s) who present(s) the “Call In” is (are) not eligible to participate in the general debate.

It is open to the OSC to either resolve to take no action (which would have the effect of endorsing the original Mayoral decision/s), or to refer the matter back to the Mayor for further consideration setting out the nature of its concerns and possibly recommending an alternative course of action.

The Committee noted that the decision made by the Mayor in Cabinet on Wednesday, 29th January 2020 in respect of agenda item 6.2 ‘Report on the outcome of the statutory consultation on the proposal to close Raine’s Foundation School’ was ‘called in’ under the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules of the Council’s Constitution by co-optees of the Children and Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee, Dr Phillip Rice and Mr Ahmed Hussain (‘Call-in Members’).

Accordingly, the Committee considered:

•           the Cabinet Report 29th January, 2020 on the outcome of the statutory consultation on the proposal to close Raine’s Foundation School;

•           the Mayor in Cabinet Decision published on 31st January, 2020;

•           the “call in” requisition from the Call-in Members (dated 7th February, 2020);

•           representations by the Call-in Members; and

•           representations from the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People, Cllr Danny Hassell.

The Committee also noted that thedecision, published on 31^st January, 2020 had:

RESOLVED

1. That having considered all of the supporting documentation:  particularly, the statutory notice set out at Appendix 1; the comments and objections raised by the eight respondents at Appendix 2; the Equalities Assessment (EA) at Appendix 3; and the report on the alternative options set out in Appendix 4, the proposal, presented by the Local Authority and London Diocesan Board, to close Raine’s Foundation School with effect from the 31^st August 2020 be approved.

In addition, the Committee noted the following alternative course of action proposed in the call-in:

• To determine to keep Raine's school open until August 2021 with a full Year 7 Admission number to allow for the Trustees to explore all options to keep the school open. Particularly to ask for a more vigorous initiative from all parties to find faith school partnerships that can share the assets;
• That Overview and Scrutiny should undertake a review of how the Council supports schools in similar situations and how the process that can lead to closure is managed; and

·         To note that should the decision be confirmed that the school be closed there is a 4-week period where specific individuals/organisations can challenge the decision with the Schools Adjudicator.

The Call-in Members then presented to the Committee their reasons for the call-in and above mentioned alternative course of action, and they also indicated that they:

·         Felt that there were Interim Executive Board (IEB) failures;

·         Presented their view on the Schools Adjudicator letter; and

·         Why they sought to keep Raine’s school open a further year.

The Committee then posed a number of questions concerning:

·         The benefits of a one-year extension/delay, and what could be achieved;

·         The impact of sending pupils to a poorly/under-performing school;

·         The effect of further investment in a failing school;

·         The proposals to merge – faith partnership; and

·         Year 7 intake/further intakes

The Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People, Councillor Danny Hassell, then summarised key points about the Cabinet decision:

1.1         The Lead Member stated that the Council’s responsibility around sufficiency planning, and confirmed the reasons for closure were concerned with falling pupil numbers, school’s financial situation, and falling/low performance and standards of education.

1.2         The Lead Member also confirmed the Diocese support for the decision.

Committee members then posed a number of questions concerning:

·         Helping students;

·         Other options - working with other schools;

·         Lessons learned;

·         Next steps – for future of building assets;

·         Chance of turning current situation around;

·         Current financial status – deficit;

·         Support to parents; and

·         Previous investment in school.

After hearing from both the Call-in Members and the Cabinet Member, the Committee considered the following issues and concerns:

·         Whether the matter sits within the Budget and Policy Framework;

·         Ofsted’s rating of Raine’s School;

·         Absence of support for the call-in by Diocese;

·         Whether anything further can be done to make a difference;

·         Whether the proposed one-year delay/extension will make a difference; and

·         Absence of proposal for a merger.