31/8/2005 - School organisation top of agenda at next Cabinet

Next week, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet will discuss school organisation issues facing Cumbria over the next few years.

Members of the Cabinet will be discussing how surplus places and other school organisation issues can be addressed with a strategic county wide approach, allowing for local involvement, to cover the mid to longer term.   This approach generally will involve nursery, primary, secondary and special schools.   However it will also take into account early feasibility work already undertaken for secondary education in Carlisle and Barrow.  

County councillor Philip Chappelhow, cabinet spokesman for children's services said:

"Cumbria faces some significant issues relating to the supply of school places and school organisation more generally in response to the Every Child Matters agenda and other initiatives such as extended schools.   All these issues need to be addressed with an inclusive approach that still allows for flexibility taking into account local priorities.

"This county has seen significant decline in pupils rolls and this trend is set to continue.   We had hoped that the Building Schools for the Future initiative would deal with some of these issues in the secondary phase, however money for Cumbria would not be available for some years so we need to take action now.   We need to make sure that this county provides the best educational opportunities for every single youngster in the area. The proposals being put to Cabinet will ensure the best use of the resources available to us which can then be used where it matters most - the education of our young people."

Full details of the proposed approach are outlined in the report attached. The meeting will be held at the Courts in Carlisle at 11am on Wednesday 7th September.