The Director of Children’s Services reported that following Cabinet’s meeting of 1 October 2009, (minute 142 refers) the governing bodies of Pensby High School for Girls and Pensby High School for Boys had undertaken a consultation on establishing a hard federation between the two schools. The report updated Cabinet on the governing bodies’ decision to proceed with a hard federation from 4 May 2010, the first such between Wirral schools.

It should be noted that federation between two or more schools was a decision for the governing bodies of those schools, not for the Council.

Federation of the two schools did not remove surplus places, which represented a waste of resources. In 2010, Pensby High School for Boys had 31% surplus places, while Pensby High School for Girls had 11% surplus places. By 2014, both schools were projected to have more than 25% surplus places. The issue of surplus places remained to be addressed through various structural solutions which would be considered as the Phase 2A review continued.

Resolved - That the outcome of the Pensby High School Federation consultation and governing body decision be noted, and that Cabinet’s congratulations be given to both governing bodies on their decision to become Wirral’s first hard federated schools.