Simone White, Assistant Director for Children’s Services introduced the report of the Director for Children, Families and Education which detailed the proposed introduction of a Wirral Pupil Place Planning Strategy 2021-2026 to set out a transparent and equitable approach for pupil place planning.

It was reported that the Council had a statutory responsibility to ensure there were sufficient school places available for children and young people in the right locations and at the right time to meet demand, as well as to identify how to remedy any excess or insufficiency in the provision of school places. The Pupil Place Planning Strategy 2021-2026 set out a metholdolgy for forecasting pupil places, proposed a phased approach for reviewing school places across the five years and provided a detailed appraisal and governance framework to guide the review planning of school places.

A key set of principles would under pin the review process as part of the strategy to provide consistency and result in positive outcomes for future provision. The principles included a commitment to:

·  Using detailed and meaningful insight and data to allow accurate and robust forecasting;

·  Taking a collaborative approach and a commitment to work with all schools and stakeholders in ensuring they are consulted and involved;

·  Maintaining a focus on inclusion so that children with different needs are offered high-quality education which meets their need; and

·  Ensuring that children’s educational outcomes and attainment are at the forefront of decision-making.

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Members discussed the school place planning areas detailed within the strategy, and the impact housing development could have on how these were shaped. It was acknowledged that the strategy was a working document that could change over time.

Resolved – That

1)  the Wirral Pupil Place Planning Strategy be endorsed.

2)  the Director of Children, Families and Education be requested to inform the wider membership of the Council of the Pupil Place Planning Strategy.