10
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Meeting Date
2 July 2009
Title of Report
Update on Scrutiny Review of Sport and Leisure as part of
Schools Re-Organisation in Waveney
Report Reference
REP287
Report of
Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Councillor Shanahan
Report Author and Tel No
Donna Offord - (01502) 523212
Is the report Open or Exempt?
Open
Key Decision?
No
MATTER FOR DECISION
To receive an update in relation to the meeting held with Councillor Collecott and representatives from
the Schools Organisation Review (SOR) Team on the provision of sports and leisure activities as part
of the Schools Re-organisation in Waveney.
EXTERNAL CONSULTATIONS HELD
Informal meeting held with the Suffolk County Council Schools Organisation Review Team for
Waveney. A representative from the Lowestoft & Beccles Schools Sports Partnership was also in
attendance. Suffolk Sport and Active Waveney Sports Partnership were represented by those in
attendance.
OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
None – The informal meeting was held as a result of the decision made the Overview & Scrutiny
Committee on 19 March 2009.
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
Health & Wellbeing – Improve the health and well being of Waveney’s communities
Performance – Improve use of resources and performance
Regeneration – Encourage economic vitality and develop cultural activity across the Waveney
District and Sub-region.
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS
Financial, Value for Money,
Asset and Risk Management
None
Legal, Human Rights, Equality
and Diversity
None
Workforce Planning
Support for the Overview & Scrutiny function is provided within
existing resources.
Community Cohesion,
Community Safety and Access
None
Environmental
None
Project Management
None
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Background Information
At the meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 19 March 2009, Councillor Collecott put
forward a proposal for a scrutiny review on sports and leisure activities as part of the Schools
Re-organisation in Waveney. It was proposed that the review would specifically focus on how sports
and leisure activities would fit into the curriculum following Schools Re-organisation. A copy of the
original scoping form considered by the Committee is attached as Appendix A.
The Committee took into account the following factors before making a decision as to whether to take
a scrutiny review forward:
1.
The responsibility for ‘education’ fell under the remit of Suffolk County Council.
2.
The Suffolk County Council (SCC) Children & Young Peoples’ Scrutiny Committee initially set up
a Schools Organisation Review Working Party to look at the processes in place for undertaking
the Schools Re-organisation Reviews. The SCC Scrutiny Committee also received regular
progress reports on consultations held and implementation.
3.
Waveney District Councillors have been attending Schools Re-organisation consultation events
independently where relevant to their Wards.
4.
The issue of ‘health and wellbeing’ is identified as a priority for the Strategic Direction of
Waveney District Council and concerns regarding obesity in children and young people is of a
national concern.
The Overview & Committee Committee resolved that the best way of taking this issue forward was for
the Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Collecott to meet with the
Schools Organisation Review Team Leader for this area and report back to the Committee. It was
also agreed that a representative from Suffolk Sport should be invited to attend the meeting.
Informal Meeting
The Informal meeting took place on Tuesday 9 June 2009 and was attended by Councillor Collecott,
(also a representative of Suffolk Sport), a representative from the Lowestoft & Beccles Schools
Sports Partnership (also a member of the Active Waveney Sports Partnership), the Suffolk County
Council Schools Organisation Review Team Leader for Waveney, the Suffolk County Council Adviser
for Physical Education & Sport and the Waveney District Council Service Manager for Sports &
Leisure Development.
The underlying concern was whether the provision of facilities within schools (indoor and outdoor) but
particularly with regard to primary schools were adequate to meet the curriculum PE, sports and
leisure needs once the Schools Re-organisation has taken place and displaced cohorts of pupils had
been assimilated into their new schools. It was considered that the greatest impact would be on Key
Stage 2, Years 5 & 6. There were also concerns regarding the space available within schools halls,
particularly those with multi-usage (location for school meals, music classes, assemblies, school
events and plays etc and for use as a facility during lunch and other periods during inclement
weather).
The following issues were discussed at the meeting:
1.
Details were given of the schools that would be affected as part of the Schools Re-organisation
in Waveney as follows:

Fen Park Primary School – Pupils to be transferred to Kirkley Middle School

Elm Tree Primary School – Pupils to be transferred to Elm Tree Middle School

Roman Hill Primary School – Pupils to be transferred to Roman Hill Middle School

Carlton Colville Primary School – Pupils to be transferred to Gisleham Middle School

North Field, the Poplars and St Margarets Schools in Lowestoft would in time be re-built
completely.
2.
Confirmation was given that post Re-organisation, schools would still have to develop a PE
curriculum and it would be up to each individual school / Headteacher to determine what indoor
/ outdoor facilities were needed to support the curriculum and to determine the best use of
available space.
3.
A schedule was circulated at the meeting by the representative from the Lowestoft & Beccles
Schools Sports Partnership detailing the projected shortfall of available indoor facilities for
primary schools in the area, taking into account approximate times the facilities / halls would be
out of commission due to alternative uses other than PE and sports activities. The Schools
Organisation Review Team commented that the accuracy of the figures contained within the
schedule had not been confirmed with the County Council.
4.
There are no set specifications for the provision of indoor space for sports delivery, although
there were Government guidelines / standards for minimum recommended hall space.
Concern was expressed by the Lowestoft & Beccles Schools Sports Partnership representative
that many of the primary schools in Lowestoft and Beccles may, post School
Organisation Review, have hall space below these minimum Government recommendations.
5.
Greater provision would be made for community use of school buildings / facilities where
possible as part of the Schools Re-organisation.
6.
It was reported that concerns regarding capacity of school facilities / halls had been raised by
Headteachers at the Active Waveney Sports Partnership in December 2008 and
representations had been made at that time on behalf of the Partnership to the Director for
Children & Young People Services.
7.
The Schools Organisation Review Team and County Sports Development Officers were
providing advice / support to Headteachers where specific issues had been identified.
8.
Confirmation was given that all schools were statutory required to have access to outdoor
space/ playing fields, the majority of which would have access on their own sites.
9.
It was reported that 90% of the school children within Suffolk received 2 hours of physical
education (PE) as part of the National Curriculum. This compared to a national target of 85%.
Therefore the delivery of 2 hours PE in Suffolk schools exceeded the target by 5%. Currently in
Lowestoft and Beccles Primary Schools this figure was 100% but some Headteachers had
intimated that they will not have the facility capacity to offer 2 hours per week post Schools
Re-organisation.
10.
The Government had set targets for addressing the perceived missing link of facilitating the
continuation of sports activities from schools to local clubs as a means of increasing the
number of young people participating in sport.
11.
Greater emphasis will in the future be placed on a competitive framework for sport, both within
the school and also covering intra and inter-school competitions.
12.
The Government requirement was to deliver PE and sport within schools but this did not
necessarily have to be delivered through traditional methods / facilities. Headteachers would
be required to be more creative in the delivery of PE and sports activities.
13.
From 2011 the re-organisation of primary schools will be completed in Lowestoft.
Re-organisation of schools in Beccles and Bungay was expected to be completed by 2012. In
addition, proposed changes to the National Curriculum that are currently being consulted on
would result in PE falling under a sub-heading of ‘children’s understanding of physical
development, health and wellbeing’. This would not necessarily require a specified minimum
number of actual physical education lessons per week but reference was made to the
Government target of 2 hours of high quality physical education per week on the curriculum and
could include opportunities, for example of orienteering / rockclimbing or similar.
14.
There were additional drivers for change as to how physical activity is delivered in schools
including the ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’ manifesto, whereby children will have more
opportunities to learn outside the classroom within their own local environment eg beaches,
nature reserves etc.
15
From 2009, schools would be required to evidence the provision of 2 hours PE a week for each
child under the Ofsted inspection framework. Any shortfalls in provision may well be
highlighted. Any issues regarding standards would be addressed through follow up actions
indicated by the Ofsted report. Schools would need to ensure these actions were clearly
defined in the school development plan.
16.
Confirmation was given that the Schools Sport Partnership would continue to offer out of hours
activities for children.
17.
Liaison between the Schools Re-organisation Team and Waveney District Council Leisure
Services in relation to greater community use of facilities in Halesworth was welcomed.
Summary
Recognition was given to the new Government initiatives for ‘personalised independent learning’
within schools and also to the availability of capital and central Government funding for schools.
However, those representatives present were also mindful of the concerns expressed by the Active
Waveney Sports Partnership, which were shared by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, regarding
the provision of adequate sports and leisure facilities post Schools Re-organisation.
As regular reports on Schools Re-organisation were still received by the SCC Children & Young
People’s Scrutiny Committee, it was proposed that a further informal meeting be held with the
Schools Organisation Review Team Leader for Waveney and the Suffolk County Council Adviser for
Physical Education & Sport in March 2010. This meeting to be attended by the Chairman of the
Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Collecott and one other Member of the Committee, the
representative from Active Waveney Sports Partnership and a Waveney District Council Service
Manager for Sports & Leisure Development.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION
To enable the Committee to be kept updated with regard to the provision of sports and leisure
activities following Schools Re-organisation.
RECOMMENDATION
1.
That the Schools Organisation Review Team Leader for Waveney and the Suffolk County
Council Adviser for Physical Education & Sport be invited to attend a further informal meeting in
March 2010 in order to give an update on the provision of PE, sports and leisure post Schools
Re-organisation.
2.
That the Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Collecott, the
representative from the Schools Sports Partnership (who was also a representative on the Active
Waveney Sports Partnership) and the Waveney District Council Service Manager for Sports &
Leisure Development attend the informal meeting.
3
That one other Member of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee be nominated to attend the
informal meeting in March 2010.
APPENDICES
Appendix A
Original Scoping Form submitted by Councillor Collecott
BACKGROUND PAPERS - None