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PROPOSALS TO MERGE AND RELOCATE
FOXWOOD SCHOOL, Seabrook Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 5QJ
and
HIGHVIEW SCHOOL, Moat Farm Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5DJ
Introduction
Kent County Council is proposing to merge and relocate Foxwood and Highview Schools
with effect from September 2015. The merger will be effected by the closure of Foxwood
School and the redesignation and enlargement of Highview School. The “new” enlarged
school will be rebranded and relocated into new purpose built premises in Park Farm
Road, Folkestone, Kent.
All pupils currently on roll at Foxwood School will be able to transfer to the roll of the “new”
school with effect from September 2015.
Contact Details
The proposals to make prescribed alterations to Foxwood and Highview Schools are being
published by Kent County Council, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ. Contact
Name and Address: David Adams, Area Education Officer, Kroner House, Eurogate
Business Park, Ashford, Kent TN24 8XU.
School details and pupil numbers
 Foxwood School, Seabrook Road, Hythe, CT21 5QJ is a maintained special school,
currently designated for children with Profound and Severe Needs. The designated
number is 122 and the school currently caters for 145 day pupils aged 3 to 19.
 Highview School, Moat Farm Road, Folkestone CT19 5DJ is a maintained special
school, currently designated for children with Complex Needs. The designated number
is 160 and the school currently caters for 160 day pupils aged 3 to 19.
Objectives (including reason for closure of Foxwood School and how the wider proposal
would increase educational standards and parental choice)
The proposal to close Foxwood School forms part of a larger proposal including expansion
and relocation of Highview School. The two schools federated in 2008 under one
governing body. In 2010 their designated need types were changed and since that date
they have worked closely together under the leadership of one Executive Headteacher and
leadership team.
“Merging” the two schools and relocating the “new” school into a new, purpose-built
building, specifically designed for these children, will lead to improvements in the standard,
quality and range of the education provision. The additional 54 places that are being
provided will mean that more local SEN children with Profound, Severe and Complex
Needs will have the opportunity to attend a local school.
Description of alteration and evidence of demand
Highview School will be redesignated to make provision for pupils with Profound, Severe
and Complex Needs, the designated number will be increased to 336 and the school will
be rebranded. All pupils will relocate from the sites at Seabrook Road, Hythe and Moat
Farm Road, Folkestone into the “new” school building with effect from 1 January 2016.
The “new” school will offer 54 additional SEN places in the area which reflects KCC’s
aspirations to increase the number of SEN school places across the County, as set out in
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the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2013-18, a copy of which is
available at this link:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/education_and_learning/plans_and_consultations/education_plans.
aspx
Impact on the community
Both Foxwood and Highview Schools serve a wide community covering the district of
Shepway. The “new” school will continue to fulfil this function. As the “new” school will be
closer to the homes of many of its pupils, this will reduce journey times and traffic
movements.
Residents in Moat Farm Road, in which the current Highview School is located, will notice
a drop in the number of taxis waiting outside their homes to collect pupils. This should be
a positive impact.
The design of the “new” school includes a traffic flow mechanism which will allow 50 cars
to queue on site. This should take most pupil drop off and collection traffic off the public
highway. The “new” school is located opposite allotments and an industrial building.
The entrance to the “new” school will be positioned to the north of the few bungalows
situated on Park Farm Road. Residents of these bungalows will experience more vehicles
(ie taxis) turning across Park Farm Road during school drop off and pick up times.
Although this is not directly outside their properties, this will help slow traffic, which will be
beneficial, but for those short periods of the school day during drop off and pick up times
traffic on Park Farm Road may need to stop outside their homes while the school taxis
manoeuvre.
The “new” school will have a Multi Agency Service Hub (MASH) incorporated within it.
This will support a ‘one stop shop’ approach to supporting children with disabilities and
their families and further improve the quality and efficiency of these services. These
facilities will support all disabled children, not just pupils at the school. Similarly, the “new”
school’s specialist facilities, such as the hydrotherapy pool, will be available for use by the
whole community.
The “new” school will incorporate a “Smile Centre” which houses its outreach service. This
facility enables advice and guidance to be given on, and off site, to staff in mainstream
schools to enable them to meet the needs of children with special educational needs in
their own schools.
It is intended that the current Foxwood and Highview sites are disposed of for housing to
provide the capital to deliver the build of the new school.
Provision for 16-19 year olds
The “new” school (of which Foxwood will form part) will offer 54 additional SEN places in
the area, some of which will be for 16-19 year olds, thus there will be no negative impact
on provision for this age group in the area.
Special educational needs (SEN) provision
This proposal will lead to improvements in the standard, quality, and range of the
educational provision for SEN children currently on roll at Foxwood and Highview Schools.
Both sets of pupils will be on the roll of the “new” school in brand new, purpose built
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accommodation. The bringing together of staff from both schools will enhance the quality
of education provided through the sharing of skills and expertise, enable the curriculum to
be broadened and enhance the extra-curricular opportunities. The improved facilities for
outreach and multi-agency support will positively impact on the wider community of pupils
with SEND.
Travel
Transport will continue as necessary, to the proposed “new” school. Some pupils will gain
transport, whereas pupils living close to the “new” school may well be able to walk to
school. Some pupils will have a slightly longer journey; others will have a shorter journey.
There may be opportunities to provide some joint journeys following the relocation into the
new building. This will be the subject of a detailed review by KCC’s Transport Team
during the early part of 2015 and we will work with families to ensure that any changes are
made as smoothly as possible.
Consultation
A public consultation was carried out by the Local Authority from 3 December 2013 to 17
January 2014. A public meeting was held at Foxwood School on 10 December 2013. The
outcome of the consultation was reported to KCC’s Cabinet Member for Education and
Health Reform. The Report on the outcome of the consultation, including summaries of
the public meeting and responses received, is available at this link:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/education_and_learning/plans_and_consultations/school_consultat
ions.aspx
The effect on other schools, academies and educational institutions within the area
The addition of 54 places in the Shepway District, providing more places for Shepway
children, will enable special schools in other districts to take their local children. As
mentioned above, the “new” school will continue to provide strong support for other
educational establishments, parents and the community via the MASH and Smile Centre.
Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long term value for
money will be achieved;
The total cost of the project is estimated to be in the region of £16.8m. Appropriate
funding has been identified as part of KCC’s Medium Term Capital Programme, which
includes £840k from the Targeted Basic Need allocation from the DfE made in August
2013. The capital receipts from the sale of the sites at Seabrook Road and Moat Farm
Road will be reinvested in KCC’s Capital Programme to offset some of the total project
costs of £16.8m. The provision of one new building to replace two older buildings of
varying quality can only be a good thing. The new building will be fit for purpose and much
easier and cheaper to maintain going forward. It will include a new building for a single
Multi Agency Service provision which will be easier for families to access and more cost
effective.
Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation
Should the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform agree that the proposal can
go ahead Foxwood School would close on 31 August 2015. The redesignation and
expansion of Highview School would take effect from 1 September 2015. The relocation
to the new building will take effect from January 2016 (subject to planning permission
being obtained).
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The procedure for responses: support; objections and comments
A public notice was published in a local newspaper on 2 March 2014. Each parent / carer
of a child at Foxwood and Highview Schools has been provided with a copy. The notice is
displayed at all main entrances to the schools, in Shepway District Council’s reception
area and in local libraries. It is also available on KCC’s website:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/education_and_learning/plans_and_consultations/school_consultat
ions.aspx.
Within four weeks from the date of publication, any person may send in a response
supporting, objecting or commenting on the proposal to David Adams, Area Education
Officer, Kroner House, Eurogate Business Park, Ashford, Kent TN24 8XU; or email
school.consultations@kent.gov.uk. The final date for sending in written representations is
30 March 2014.