Item 07 Appendix 1 (REVISED VERSION)
West Dunbartonshire Council · 28 September 2022
Back to Educational Services Committee — 28 September 2022 and its agenda
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West Dunbartonshire Council Educational, Learning & Attainment A Proposal Document For Additional Support Needs (ASN) School within the former Riverside ELCC in the Vale of Leven area. The following Schools and Early Learning and Childcare Centres are affected by this Proposal Document: Former Riverside ELCC premises and St Martin’s Primary School. This document has been issued by West Dunbartonshire Council for consultation in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 Appendix 1 (revised version)
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1. Introduction 1.1 At its meeting on 15th June 2022, the Educational Services Committee of West Dunbartonshire Council is asked to approve: a) the launch of the statutory consultation the Chief Education Officer under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 on the proposal to redevelop the former Riverside ELCC to form a new school supporting ASN needs on the St Martin’s Campus and to; b) agree that a report outlining the results of the consultation and making appropriate recommendations be presented to the meeting of the Educational Services Committee in March 2023. 2. The Proposal 2.1 West Dunbartonshire Council is proposing, subject to approval from Education Services Committee and the outcome of the consultation process: • To establish a new school providing education for young people with additional support needs in the former Riverside ELC premises from August 2024. 2.2 A map identifying the locations of the affected establishment is included as Appendix 1. 3. Background to the Proposal 3.1 Our Additional Support Needs Strategy has recognised there is a need for expansion to the ASN Learning Estate to meet projected needs. This proposal will support the cohort of pupils due to transition from primary to secondary education in August 2024. 3.2 It is anticipated young people who will attend this setting will transition from their existing primary school settings to S1 in 2024 when the new school opens. This negates the need for alternative premises in our Secondary Estate. 3.3 The improvements in the learning environments in the new builds and other educational establishments promotes and encourages imaginative and innovative learning which will meet the needs of learners thereby improving outcomes for them. This in turn leads to the strategic objective of a strong local economy and increased employment opportunities.
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3.4 West Dunbartonshire has the commitment to ensure all of our children are educated in buildings that meet ‘Category A or B’ as described by the Scottish Government. Notwithstanding the vast improvements in the learning estate, there remains, within the primary school estate, establishments that over time could find themselves with a condition rating of C (Poor). The suitability of older educational establishments for a modern curriculum is also challenging, and therefore it is clear that, for both educational and financial reasons, it is beneficial for the Council to consolidate and modernise its learning estate by a process of co-location, new build and closure. 3.5 The Learning Estate Project Board and Strategic Asset Management Team consider a range of options for improving the learning estate, including: school condition and suitability, roll and occupancy level; potential for refurbishment; location and potential for amalgamation, closure or co-location; potential for co-location of school(s) and ELCC; and availability of suitable or existing sites for new builds, preferably in the ownership of the Council. The development of the St Martin’s site supports these objectives. 3.6 On 16nd March 2022, Council approved funding from the unallocated School Improvement Capital Plan to support this re-development. 3.7 On 16th March 2022, the Educational Services Committee: a) Noted the projected growth of ASN needs; b) Agreed that a report outlining the results of the consultation and making appropriate recommendations be presented to a future meeting of the Educational Services Committee. c) Agreed suggested phases of development and associated capital works for the ASN Learning Estate; d) Agreed to allocate funding from the unallocated School Improvement capital plan. 4 Current Position 4.1 In line with national trends, it is recognised there is an increasing number of pupils with a complexity of Additional Support Needs in West Dunbartonshire Council. This has previously been addressed with the expansion of our Primary ASN provision. However, it is now necessary to expand the
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secondary provision as this cohort moves through primary to secondary school and to address projected needs until 2027. 4.2 In August 2022, Riverside ELCC which was situated within the St Martin’s campus closed. Children and staff moved to the new Renton ELCC. Since then the site has been empty and through investigation identified as a suitable site for the new ASN school required to meet projected needs. 5 Proposed new Campus 5.1 Proposed site 5.1.1 Thee council is proposing to redevelop the former Riverside ELCC into a new school for young people with additional support needs. 5.1.2 The main reasons for the choice of this site are: • the site is already within the Council’s ownership; • the suitable size, ground conditions, topography and the availability of utility services on the site; • the site is located next to St Martin’s Primary School and Vale of Leven Secondary school which will provide opportunities for community building, collaborative planning and learning. 5.1.3 The children who will learn in the new school will transition there from their primary schools when the school opens. Contingency planning will be considered should there be delay to this. 5.2 Proposed Facilities 5.2.1 Facilities will require to accommodate 36 young people and appropriate staff ratios. 5.2.2 The draft accommodation schedule for the new campus is currently under development. However it should be noted that modern purposely designed educational accommodation is the default position, something we have much experience of based on current and recent projects. In particular the education, care and welfare provisions will be planned with the complex needs of the young people in mind. 5.2.3 The two schools located on the campus; St Martin’s Primary School and the new proposed ASN school, will operate as separate establishments, with their own teaching and support staff. Discussions with the Archdiocese of Glasgow will ensure that the plans for the co-location of the two schools are
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in accordance with the Catholic Church’s protocols for co-located establishments. 6 Educational Benefits Statement 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 West Dunbartonshire Council believes this proposal will provide a range of educational benefits and enhance the Council’s efforts to meet statutory obligations enshrined in: • the Education (Scotland) Act 1980; • the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000; • the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003; • the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004; • the Educational (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009; • the Equality Act 2010; • Early Learning and Childcare Statutory Guidance and Care Commission requirements; and • the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. 6.1.2 The proposal is aligned to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which affirms that every child regardless of race, gender or disability has a right to an education and to develop his or her fullest possible potential. 6.1.3 The re-development will provide modern, fit-for-purpose educational facilities which are specifically designed to create a stimulating and supportive learning environment. 6.1.4 The new school will be designed to provide a fully accessible and inclusive environment to accommodate the needs of all users of the building. It will be designed to fully meet the principles of inclusion whilst supporting the complex needs of the young people. 6.1.5 The facilities will support the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence by providing an environment conducive to nurturing successful, confident and responsible young people who are able to learn and apply their learning in ways that will help them to reach their full potential and respond to the variety and pace of change they will encounter in today’s and tomorrow’s world. The facilities will be constructed in accordance with the latest building standards and regulatory requirements relating to building design, providing a variety of accommodation to deliver experiences across all eight curriculum areas. 6.2 Likely effect of proposal on pupils who will attend the new school 6.2.1 There are a number of educational benefits associated with the design of the
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new ASN school: • Modern, dedicated and multi-purpose spaces, designed to deliver all areas of Curriculum for Excellence and to encourage innovative and flexible teaching and effective learning; • education in a comfortable, environmentally efficient, wind- and water- tight environment in which the use of natural light is maximised; • access to enhanced internal and external facilities; • well planned internal spaces which are planned to support the complex needs of the young people who will be using them; • use of well-designed social and circulation spaces within the building; • use of modern toilets and washing facilities; • an integrated ICT infrastructure, including wireless capability, designed to maximise the use of the latest technology to enhance learning; • specially designed general purpose areas, designed to encourage independent and collaborative learning; • provision of furniture that is ergonomically designed, age appropriate and provides flexibility to change configuration and support a variety of learning and teaching approaches; • a range of the most modern and appropriate facilities for the education, support and care needs of the children; • attractive indoor dining facilities, serviced by a modern catering kitchen; • management, office and staff facilities, suitably located in order to support staff in delivering the curriculum and facilitate a positive school ethos and collegiate working culture; • integrated infrastructure and storage space, designed to ensure that the functional areas of the school are not compromised and are fully available and accessible for learning and teaching purposes; • dedicated resource base space incorporating reprographics equipment and other facilities for use by teaching and support staff to support the production of pupil resources; • a safe and secure campus. Young people attending the new school will benefit from all of the above features, and as a consequence, their learning and social experience of school and integrated community spaces will greatly improve. 6.3 Likely effect of Proposal on Other Users of the Schools 6.3.1 As part of West Dunbartonshire Council’s efficiency measures, the Council has greatly reduced the number of external lets in primary schools, instead concentrating lets in secondary schools which are generally already open in the evenings. Currently, there are no sessional lets in the schools affected.
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6.4 Likely effect of Proposal on other pupils across West Dunbartonshire schools 6.4.1 The proposal will result in the ability to meet the needs of more young people with additional support needs across West Dunbartonshire. It is anticipated these allocations will be managed through existing allocation processes. 6.4.2 The enhanced facilities will enable the Council to meet the needs of pupils within the Authority. It will support transition processes for pupils moving from one additional support needs setting to another. 7.0 The Consultation Process 7.1 At its meeting on 16th March 2022, West Dunbartonshire Council authorised the Chief Education Officer to prepare for formal consultation in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 in relation to the Proposal specified in section 2 above and the arrangements noted below have been made to discharge that instruction. 7.2 The initial aspects of the consultation process are specified in the following table: Launch of Statutory Consultation Process 3 Oct 2022 Public Meetings 25th Oct 2022 End of Statutory Consultation Process 25th Oct 2022 Compilation and issue of Section 8 (1) Information to Education Scotland 18-26 Nov 2022 Education Scotland response period 29 Nov – 21 Dec 2022 Consultation Report published 14 Feb 2023 Outcome of Consultation at committee 8 Mar 2023 7.3 The Proposal Document will be issued by the Chief Education Officer to the consultees included in the following list: • Education Scotland; • The Archdiocese of Glasgow of the Roman Catholic Church; • the Parent Councils of St Martin’s Primary School and Vale of Leven Academy due to their adjacency to the proposed new school; • the parents/carers of any children expected by West Dunbartonshire Council to attend the new schools within two years of the date of publication of this Proposal Document (with that date of publication being defined in the table included in section 7.2 above); • the teaching and support staff at St Martin’s Primary School; • user groups or individuals who currently utilise the facilities at St Martin’s Primary School;
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• the constituency MSP; • the constituency MP; and • Neighbouring local authorities. 7.4 The Proposal Document will also be published on the West Dunbartonshire Council website and copies will also be available from the reception point at the following West Dunbartonshire Council buildings: • St Martin’s Primary School, Place of Bonhill, Renton, Alexandria G82 4QB • Alexandria Library, Gilmour Street, Alexandria G83 0DA • West Dunbartonshire Council, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton G82 1QL 7.5 The Proposal Document can also be made available in alternative formats or in translated form for readers whose first language is not English. Please make contact with West Dunbartonshire Council’s Educational Services, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton G82 1QL, and Tel: 01389737391 or e-mail: educationconsultation@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 7.6 A public notice to advertise the consultation will be placed in the Dumbarton Reporter and Clydebank Post and the same notice will be displayed on the reception area notice boards in the above noted West Dunbartonshire Council buildings. 7.7 Two public meetings will be held on Tuesday 25th October 2022; one online at 4pm and one in-person at St Martin’s Primary School at 7pm, at which representatives of West Dunbartonshire Council’s Educational Services Department will be in attendance to present the details of the Proposal, answer questions and record comments/representations from those in attendance at the meeting. Education Scotland will also attend the public meetings. 7.8 Comments/representations may also be made by contacting 01389 737391; by email to educationconsultation@west-dunbarton.gov.uk or by writing to the Chief Education Officer at West Dunbartonshire Council, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton G82 1QL. Comments/representations should be received no later than 11th November 2022. 7.9 At the end of the consultation period, the Chief Education Officer will submit a copy of all written comments/representations, together with oral comments/representations made at the public meeting, to Education Scotland who will prepare a professional and independent report on the educational aspects of the Proposal. 7.10 The Chief Education Officer will consider all written and oral comments/representations received in relation to the Proposal which have
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been received during the consultation period, together with Education Scotland’s report, and prepare a Consultation Report. 7.11 The Chief Education Officer shall publish the Consultation Report which shall be issued (either in full or as a summary document) to the consultees specified in section 7.3 above; be made available on Council’s website; be available in printed format from the reception points at West Dunbartonshire Council buildings specified in section 7.4 above; and be issued to all those who responded and provided contact details through the consultation process. 7.12 The Consultation Report shall be published to allow a period of no less than 3 weeks prior to the Council’s Decision to either implement or reject the Proposal. 7.13 The Chief Education Officer shall immediately notify Scottish Ministers if the Council’s Decision is to implement the Proposal which would redevelop the former Riverside ELC to open a new school to support young people with additional needs of young people. 7.17 The proposal question is as follows: Are you in favour of the proposal to redevelop the former Riverside ELCC for use as a school for young people with additional support needs? Yes / No Consultees may also wish to provide reasons for their opinions. Appendix 1 School Location
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