North Yorkshire Council

Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee

22 March 2024

Schools, educational achievement and finance

1.0 1.1

Purpose of the Report To inform Members of the local educational landscape, educational achievement and the financial challenges which affect schools in the Scarborough & Whitby constituency committee area.

2.0 Local educational landscape

2.1 There are now 15 primary academies and 5 secondary academies within the Scarborough & Whitby constituency area.  The academy conversion rate for primary schools is similar within the constituency area when compared to the county as a whole (39.5% compared to 39.1% in North Yorkshire.) The academy conversion rate for secondary schools is also similar (71.4% compared to 67.4% in North Yorkshire).

Summary of schools’ status – 1 February 2024

	Schools in North Yorkshire		Schools in Scarborough & Whitby ACC
Primary Maintained	181	60.9%	23	60.5%
Primary Academy & Free School	116	39.1%	15	39.5%
Total	297	100%	38	100%
Secondary Maintained	14	32.6%	2	28.6%
Secondary Academy	29	67.4%	5	71.4%
Total	43	100%	7	100%
Special Maintained	6	60%	1	33.3%
Special Academy	4	40%	2	66.7%
Total	10	100%	3	100%
PRU Maintained	4	80%	1	100%
PRU Academy	1	20%	0	0%
Total	5	100%	1	100%
Total maintained Total Academy Overall Total	205 150 355	57.7% 42.3% 100%	27 22 49	55.1% 44.9% 100%

3.0 School standards

3.1 School Ofsted judgements

In the constituency area, as of January 2024, 76.3% of primary schools were judged Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, which is below the North Yorkshire and national rates. In terms of secondary schools, 71.4% were judged Good or Outstanding, lower than the North Yorkshire and national averages. Overall there are 10 schools judged ‘requires improvement’, 1 is ‘inadequate’ in the constituency area. 

At the time of writing, 6 of the 10 North Yorkshire Maintained Special Schools were recorded as either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ and all of the 5 Alternative Provision schools (AP) were recorded as ‘Good’. As of the most recent Ofsted inspections in the area, Springhead Special School was graded as ‘Outstanding’ and The Woodlands Academy Special School was graded as ‘Requires Improvement’ and Brompton Hall Special School was ‘Requires Improvement’. Scarborough Pupil Referral Service (AP) was graded as ‘Good’ at its most recent Ofsted Alternative Provision inspection.

In 2023, 97% (32 of 33) of the Childcare establishments (childcare in non-domestic premises) which have had an Ofsted inspection in the constituency were ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding. The rate in North Yorkshire was 94% at the same time.

3.3       Attainment overall

For two years, exams and assessments in schools did not take place because of the disruption to students’ education caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In 2020 GCSEs, AS and A level exams faced widespread cancellation and were replaced with a grading process involving teacher/ centre assessment.  Similarly, summer 2021 assessments were awarded based on teacher or centre assessment and no statistical adjustment processes were used. Overall, final grades were significantly higher in both 2020 and 2021 than in 2019. 

The Government allowed GCSEs, AS and A Level and equivalent assessments and exams to go ahead in England in summer 2022, and has made some changes to general, vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs). Additionally, school-level performance (league) tables were re-introduced for the end of the GCSE phase (key stage 4) in 2022; school-level information for secondary phase was not published during either 2020 or 2021.

It is important to emphasise that direct comparisons with outcomes from previous years need to be made with the pandemic in mind, as pupils will have had disrupted learning during this period. Apart from this factor, there have also been several changes to exams and grading. As such, the DfE have recommended that caution is exercised when making comparisons with previous years.

In primary schools, performance across North Yorkshire at Early Years (Early Years Foundation Stage Profile) has continued to be above national benchmarks and is beginning to approach attainment seen before the pandemic. Attainment of children at Key Stage 2 however is down slightly on previous years, it is clear that national attainment is yet to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Initial data is now available for Key Stage 4, giving us an overview of attainment of pupils leaving Year 11 in 2023. Attainment across the country at this Key Stage has fallen compared to last year. In North Yorkshire, attainment appears to have returned to pre-pandemic levels and is now very similar to National attainment levels.

3.4 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP)

In 2023, 67.6% of children in the constituency area achieved a Good Level of Development. An in-year comparison of EYFSP outcomes with LA and national figures (see table below) shows that a lower proportion of pupils within the constituency area achieved a good level of development compared with all NYC pupils but rates were slightly higher than national.

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile – percentage achieving a good level of development
	Scarborough and Whitby	North Yorks	National
2018	67.40%	72.50%	71.60%
2019	69.70%	72.80%	71.80%
2022	65.70%	68.30%	65.20%
2023	67.60%	79.30%	67.20%

3.5 Key Stage 2

In 2023, 45.5% of children in the constituency area achieved the expected level or above in reading, writing and maths combined, which is lower than the North Yorkshire and the national averages. An in-year comparison of KS2 attainment with LA and national figures is shown in the table below.

Key Stage 2 - percentage achieving the expected standard or above in reading, writing and maths combined.
	Scarborough and Whitby	North Yorkshire	National
2018	56.80%	62.10%	64.40%
2019	54.80%	63.40%	64.90%
2022	45.50%	56.60%	58.70%
2023	48.70%	56.10%	59.60%

3.6 Key Stage 4

Although Key Stage 4 data has been published by the DfE it has not yet been validated at individual school level. Therefore, all data in this section of the report should be considered provisional.

The average Attainment 8 score, which measures the achievement of a pupil across eight qualifications, was 40.4 for 2023. This is below the North Yorkshire and national averages.  Attainment 8 scores at Key Stage 4 have fallen nationally to 46.2 (from 48.8 in the 2021/22 academic year). We have seen a similar picture in North Yorkshire, with Attainment 8 scores falling to 46.7 (from 50.3).

KS4 – Average Attainment 8 Score
	Scarborough and Whitby	North Yorkshire	National
2018	40.1	48.5	48.5
2019	39.6	48.7	48.7
2022	42.1	50.3	48.8
2023	40.4	46.7	46.2

The Progress 8 score, which measures a pupil’s progress from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school, was lower than the North Yorkshire average in 2023. A comparison of the Progress 8 scores for schools within the Scarborough and Whitby constituency area against county-wide is shown below. 

KS4 – Average Progress 8 Score
	Scarborough and Whitby	North Yorkshire	National
2018	-0.22	0.13	-0.02
2019	-0.34	0.10	-0.03
2022	-0.29	0.03	-0.03
2023	-0.26	0.01	-0.03

The percentage achieving a grade 5 or above (grading is 9-1) in English and Maths (Basics measure) was 37.6% for 2023. This is below both the national and the North Yorkshire average in 2023.

KS4 – Percentage achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths
	Scarborough and Whitby	North Yorkshire	National
2018	35.4%	48.0%	43.3%
2019	33.2%	47.4%	43.2%
2022	39.6%	53.8%	49.8%
2023	37.6%	45.7%	45.0%

3.7 Not in education, employment or training

There were 958 young people recorded in Year 11 living in this constituency in May 2023 and of this cohort 23 (2.4%) were not in education, employment or training after leaving school as of January 2024.

4.0       Suspension Incidents and Permanent Exclusions

4.1      Suspension Incidents

In the 2022/23 academic year, there have been a total of 7639 suspensions for a total of 2753 individual children in North Yorkshire. 534 of these children were on roll of mainstream schools in the Scarborough and Whitby constituency area.

In 2021/22, there were 5197 Suspensions for a total of 2046 individual children, 419 of these children were on roll of mainstream schools in the Scarborough and Whitby constituency area.

Suspension Incidents
	Pupils suspended		Total Suspensions
Academic year	North Yorkshire	Scarborough and Whitby (mainstream)	North Yorkshire	Scarborough and Whitby (mainstream)	Percentage of North Yorkshire total (incidents)	Most common reason (Scarborough and Whitby )
2018/19	2149	611	5970	1995	33.42%	Persistent disruptive behaviour (52.1%)
2019/20	1578	348	4365	1058	24.24%	Persistent or general disruptive behaviour (48.1%)
2020/21	1578	332	3553	728	20.49%	Persistent or general disruptive behaviour (36.3%)
2021/22	2046	419	5197	958	18.43%	Persistent or general disruptive behaviour (42%)
2022/23	2753	534	7639	1659	22%	Persistent or general disruptive behaviour (56%)

In 2022/23, schools in the constituency area had a 14% share of the total schools population in North Yorkshire and had a 22% share of suspensions for the whole county.

4.2      Permanent exclusions

In 2022/23, there were 96 permanent exclusions from all schools in the county, 10 of which were for children in Scarborough and Whitby mainstream schools. In the same period of 2021/22, there were 55 permanent exclusions, 5 of which were from the Scarborough and Whitby area.

Academic year	Scarborough and Whitby	North Yorkshire	Percentage of North Yorkshire total
2018/19	20	87	23%
2019/20	5	51	9.80%
2020/21	7	26	26.92%
2021/22	5	55	9.09%
2022/23	10	96	10%

4.3 Responding to increasing exclusion from schools

From September 2020 a preventative model of alternative provision was commissioned to enhance support for schools in avoiding permanent exclusions and the model is continuing to be refined.

The Inclusion service is continuing to ensure that permanently excluded pupils are receiving the support they need to return to school and the curriculum offered at alternative provision is improving as part of a mainstream school model. 

Training is continuing to be offered to schools for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, as part of a commitment to support schools in adopting more inclusive practices.

Two support pathways have also been introduced to reduce and prevent exclusions from schools. The Pupil Support Pathway is used to identify risks of multiple or permanent exclusion and professionals are becoming involve earlier to address difficulties. The School Support Pathway has been implemented to support and challenge schools which are identified as having the highest exclusion rates in the county.

The SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan was published by the government in 2023. The plan was presented as a roadmap for improving inclusion in mainstream schools within a national system but it also acknowledged the role of Alternative Provision (AP) as an intervention rather than a destination for children excluded from mainstream. It also identified preventative approaches similar to the North Yorkshire approach. We can expect the plan to be rolled out as part of a national system in the coming years.

5.0      Special Education Needs and Disabilities

5.1 SEN Statistics for Constituency Area

819 in constituency children with a North Yorkshire  funded EHC plan (January 2024) 17.1% of the North Yorkshire total. The most common needs are:

· Autism (32%)

· Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH, 23%)

· Moderate Learning Disabilities (MLD, 16%)

1507 in constituency with SEN Support in North Yorkshire schools, 2023 School Census (January) 14.8% of the North Yorkshire total. The most common needs are:

· Speech, Language and Communication (SLCN, 22%)

· Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH, 21%)

· Specific Learning Difficulties (e.g. Dyslexia), 17%

5.2 Increasing demand for Education, Health and Care plans (EHC plans)

 The continuing rise in new EHC plans being issued by North Yorkshire Council is a consequence of an increasing demand for assessments seen during the course of previous years, a trend which reflects the national picture.

2023 saw the highest number of requests for assessment for an EHC plan since EHC plans were introduced. A total of 1275 requests were received by North Yorkshire Council in 2023, this is a circa 30% increase on the total received in 2022. 

237 (18.6%) were for children or young people living in the constituency in 2023, a circa. 37% increase on the 173 in 2022.

At the time of writing, there were circa 600 requests either awaiting a decision to assess, a decision to issue an EHC plan or awaiting the finalising of a plan. At the same point last year, there were circa 300 in process. This rise in requests in process is at least partly due to the difficulty in gathering required information for decisions on EHC plan assessments, owing to an acute national shortage of Educational Psychologists (EPs) available.

North Yorkshire Council’s approach to the challenge has involved the contracting of agencies in addressing a backlog in receiving advice from Educational Psychologist services. There has also been a successful recruitment drive in 2024 with the appointment of a new principal EP and a number of part-time and trainee EPs. This is expected to have a consequent effect of an upturn in overall timeliness in final plans being issued towards through the year.

5.3 SEND provision

 Providing appropriate provision to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has become an area of increasing pressure on resources in local authorities throughout the country. The government has acknowledged these delivery pressures and released the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan in 2023 to address this and a Delivering Better Value (DBV) programme was announced as part of a best practice approach to sustainable provision for children with high needs.

North Yorkshire has participated in the DBV programme as part of a wider inclusion plan which aims to bring positive change for SEND services. The aim of the programme is to identify changes that will make the biggest difference in getting better outcomes and to help council’s use their resources in .the most efficient way. Progress against these aims will continue to be monitored.

6.0 Elective Home Education

As of the beginning of the 2023/24 academic year there were 817 children recorded as Electively Home Educated (EHE) in North Yorkshire, 133 of which were formerly from a mainstream school in Scarborough and Whitby ACC. At the same point last year, there were 813 children EHE in North Yorkshire, 137 formerly from a mainstream school in Scarborough and Whitby constituency area. 

In the 2022/23 academic year, 482 children became EHE in North Yorkshire, 97 of which were formerly educated in a mainstream school in the Scarborough and Whitby constituency area. This figure in the previous academic year (2021/22) was 87 from Scarborough and Whitby out of 452 becoming EHE in North Yorkshire.

7.0 School Finance

7.1 2022/2023 School Revenue Balances

Local Authority maintained school revenue balances as at 31 March 2023 are summarised below, together with a comparison with 2022. The balances are also expressed as a percentage of school delegated budgets. 

	Primary & Nursery 170 schools	Secondary 15 schools	Special 6 schools	Pupil Referral Unit 4 schools	Total 195 schools
Total School Revenue Balances (Net) as at 31 March 2023	£15,054k	-£973k	-£887k	£753k	£13,947k
% of Revenue Budget	12.4%	-1.7%	-5.6%	31.4%	7.1%
No. Schools with an Accumulated Revenue Budget Surplus as at 31 March 2023	149	10	2	3	164
No. Schools with an Accumulated Revenue Budget Deficit as at 31 March 2023	21	5	4	1	31
Comparison to total school revenue balance (net) as at 31 March 2022	-£1,368k	-£770k	-£75k	-£68k	-£2,281k

(The number of school budgets submitted to the local authority for 2022/23 is lower than the total number of local authority maintained schools operating within North Yorkshire due to a number of school federations operating a single, amalgamated budget covering all of the schools within the federation)

31 schools (16% of LA Maintained schools) had an accumulated revenue budget deficit totalling £6.6M as at 31 March 2023. An analysis of the budget deficits by school phase is detailed in the table below:

	Primary & Nursery	Secondary	Special	Pupil Referral Unit	Total
No. Schools with an Accumulated Revenue Budget Deficit as at 31 March 2023	21	5	4	1	31
Total School Revenue Deficit Balances as at 31 March 2023	-£1,078k	-£3,363k	-£2,027k	-£95k	-£6,563k
Average Value of Accumulated Revenue Budget Deficit as at 31 March 2023	-£51k	-£673k	-£507k	-£95k	-£212k
Highest Accumulated Revenue Budget Deficit as at 31March 2023	-£216k	-£998k	-£1,587k	-£95k	-£1,587k
Lowest Accumulated Revenue Budget Deficit as at 31 March 2023	-£1.3k	-£141k	-£18k	-£95k	-£1.3k

7.2 School Budget Projections - Based on 2023/24 Revised budgets

The 2023/24 Revised Budgets submitted to the local authority by schools in December 2023 are summarised below:

	Primary & Nursery 163 schools	Secondary 14 schools	Special 6 schools	Pupil Referral Unit 4 schools	Total 187 schools
Total Forecast School Revenue Balances (Net) as at 31 March 2024	£11,820k	-£1,393k	-£888k	£593k	£10,132k
No. Schools with an Accumulated Forecast Revenue Budget Surplus as at 31 March 2024	138	7	3	3	151
Average Value of Accumulated Forecast Revenue Budget Surplus as at 31 March 2024	£96k	£307k	£381k	£204k	£113k
No. Schools with an Accumulated Forecast Budget Deficit as at 31 March 2024	25	7	3	1	36
Average Value of Accumulated Forecast Revenue Budget Deficit as at 31 March 2024	-£55k	-£506k	-£677k	-£19k	-£194k
Comparison to total school revenue balance as at 31^st March 2023	-£3,234k	-£420k	-£1k	-£160k	-£3,815k

(The overall number of individual school budgets have reduced from 195 to 187 between the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years due to 2 schools moving to operate within a joint budget Federation, 5 schools converting to academy status and 1 school closing).

7.3 School Finance and Funding Issues

· The Department for Education (DfE) provided revised 2024/25 school funding information on 6 October 2023 after the identification of an error made by DfE officials during the initial calculations of the NFF and processing of forecast pupil numbers. Nationally, the overall cost of the core schools budget is 0.62% greater than allocated resulting in the funding through the mainstream schools national funding formula (NFF) increasing by 1.9% per pupil in 2024-25, compared to 2023-24; the original increase announced in July 2023 was 2.7% per pupil.

· School budgets have experienced significant cost pressures in the 2023/24 financial year. Cost pressures include:

- Pay award cost pressures. The September 2023 teachers pay award was 6.5%, with school budgets being required to meet the initial 3.5% cost and the DfE providing additional grant funding to cover the cost in excess of 3.5%. The 2023/24 support staff pay award of £1,925 on non-teaching salary points 2 – 43 (equates to a 9.42% increase for staff on the lowest salary point) is a particularly cost pressure for schools in relation to classroom support staff.

- Energy inflation cost pressures of 100%

- Overall inflationary pressures of 10.1%

- Cost pressures associated with supporting an increasing number of pupils with additional SEND support needs.

- Below forecast inflation increases in school funding provided by Government for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.

· North Yorkshire secondary schools are placed 141 out of 150 local authorities in terms of funding level per pupil. On average, a school in North Yorkshire will receive £5,994 per pupil in 2023-24 compared to a national average of £6,542. Comparing the funding for a 1,500 pupil secondary school this equates to a difference in funding of £0.82m. The funding for North Yorkshire primary schools is more favourable with a position 32 out of 150 local authorities in terms of the funding level per pupil.  For primary schools, a North Yorkshire school will receive on average £5,125 per pupil compared to a national average of £5,014. The average funding position in relation to primary schools in North Yorkshire is influenced by the levels of the lump sum and sparsity funding received through the DfE National Funding Formula by the relatively high number of small, rural  primary schools within the local authority area.

· North Yorkshire has a number of schools that, geographically, are vital in serving their local communities. Inadequate sparsity funding and general financial pressures for smaller, rural secondary schools, continues to be a significant concern.  NYC utilises the provision in the DfE National Funding Formula (NFF) to locally provide additional lump sum funding of £50k for the smallest (less than 350 pupils), most rural secondary schools. NYC continues to lobby the DfE and local MPs for higher levels of funding for the small, rural secondary schools within the LA.

7.4 Local Authority Support for Schools in Financial Difficulty

· The Local Authority adopts a number of measures to support schools facing financial difficulty:

- the use of a financial risk rating framework to determine the level of support, challenge and intervention undertaken at individual school level,

-   the escalation path for financial intervention including the use of Notices of Financial Concern, where deemed appropriate. Currently, eight schools are subject to a Notice of Financial Concern.

- the undertaking of School Resource Management reviews in individual schools where this has been identified as an appropriate intervention through the risk rating process. The reviews are based on the DfE School Resource Management Adviser (SRMA) model and are undertaken by LA staff, many of whom have the SRMA accreditation

-    continuing to undertake research into small school financial effectiveness to identify and share best practice 

- review of the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) and Resource Management dashboard in financially challenged schools

- continuing the promotion of school collaboration and the sharing of best practice in terms of effective resource management between schools

- the provision of Headteacher and Governor finance briefings and training

- continuing to lobby DfE for fairer funding for North Yorkshire schools, especially in relation to small, rural secondary schools.

· In July 2023, the DfE announced the provision of up to £40 million of additional funding in 2023/2024, to support individual schools which find themselves in particular financial difficulties. Of the £40 million, £20 million has been provided to local authorities which have the most significant maintained school deficits. The distribution of the £20 million is targeted and not every local authority will receive additional funding. The DfE have allocated the £20 million between local authorities who have aggregated school-level deficits as a proportion of their total maintained schools’ income above 1%. At the end of October 2023, the DfE announced that North Yorkshire Council will receive a funding allocation of £972k. The DfE have stated the funding is one-off and for the 2023-24 financial year only; there are no plans for the funding to continue for 2024-25. The local authority has developed proposed eligibility criteria and an associated funding allocation methodology for the distribution of the funding to schools in financial difficulty.  These proposals will be considered by the Executive in mid-March 2024.

7.5 Schools Financial Position – Scarborough & Whitby

2022/23 20 schools projecting to be in budget surplus as at 31 March 2023 5 schools projecting to be in deficit by March 2023; 20% of schools in Scarborough & Whitby (1 nursery, 2 primary, 1 secondary, 1 special) Projected average nursery surplus = N/A Projected average primary surplus = £126k Projected average secondary surplus = £45k Projected average special surplus = N/A Projected average PRU surplus = £469k Projected average nursery deficit = -£18k Projected average primary deficit = -£91k Projected average secondary deficit = -£141k Projected average special deficit = -£28k Projected average PRU deficit = N/A (Data Source – 2023/24 Revised Budgets)

2023/24 22 schools projecting to be in budget surplus as at 31 March 2024 3 schools projecting to be in deficit by March 2024; 12% of schools in Scarborough & Whitby (2 primary, 1 secondary) Projected average nursery surplus = £4k Projected average primary surplus = £115k Projected average secondary surplus = £111k Projected average special surplus = £17k Projected average PRU surplus = £354k Projected average nursery deficit = N/A Projected average primary deficit = -£124k Projected average secondary deficit = -£114k Projected average special deficit = N/A Projected average PRU deficit = N/A (Data Source – 2023/24 Revised Budgets)

8.0 Planning school places

8.1 School Sustainability

The sustainability of schools is largely influenced by three key factors which are usually related to each other:

•           Falling pupil rolls

•           School standards

•           Financial difficulty

Where school closures have regrettably occurred in North Yorkshire these factors have been relevant. There have been seven closures in the county over the last three years with one of these occurring in the constituency area. A further closure, of Eskdale School was approved in June 2023 and will occur on 31 August 2023

8.2       Collaborative working

Collaborative working is two or more schools working together to the mutual benefit of their pupils with the overall aim of improving outcomes for all. This has the potential to broaden opportunities and contribute to efficiencies. There are now four collaborations or federations in the Scarborough and Whitby area. In each of the federations there are two maintained schools with a single governing body and headteacher. In three cases the pairs of schools are small, rural schools with the same religious character where LA Officers worked with the Diocese of York to support the governing boards to come to the federation decision. The other federation is currently made up of Caedmon College and Eskdale School, the secondary schools which serve Whitby Town and its rural area. This federation and the reorganisation of secondary education in Whitby is discussed specifically in section 8.8.

There are also a number of other collaborative arrangements operating across the constituency area. Typically, these arrangements feature the shared headship but without the shared governance which would characterise federation. LA officers regularly support discussions between school leaders and governors to consider where collaborative working opportunities are available.

8.3       Pupil rolls – current and future

The council has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places are available for every child under the Education Act 1996. For this purpose, it groups schools together into planning areas in accordance with the requirements of the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Appendix 1 shows the planning areas together with:

•           Capacity in the planning area

•           Current numbers on roll

•           Projected future numbers

•           Projected impact of approved housing developments

8.4       The council is carefully monitoring pupil numbers across the constituency area. A large proportion of the constituency is rural and served by small schools located within villages. A falling birth-rate combined with changing demographics means that a number of small schools are facing financial challenges associated with low numbers on roll. In some areas larger schools also face financial difficulty as they experience lower numbers than they are historically structured to accommodate. This is particularly the case where numbers on roll are above a round form of entry e.g. 1 or 2 forms of entry (30 or 60 pupils), but are not high enough to easily afford the structure for the next form of entry.

8.5       Larger villages with proposed or committed housing developments – There a number of villages where housing allocations have been made within the Scarborough Local Plan including East and West Ayton, Seamer and Burniston. The schools that serve these areas, East Ayton Community Primary School, Seamer & Irton Community Primary School and Lindhead School respectively, are operating near to capacity. Where possible within planning regulations, developer contributions have been sought to provide additional school places should the need arise.

8.6       Scarborough North and Central Primary areas –

The North and Central areas cover all of the schools located within the urban area of Scarborough Town. Each area presents a different picture in terms of school capacity etc.

The schools in the North area are seeing high numbers on roll at present and significant housing developments with planning permission, plus others allocated in the Local Plan going forward. The strategy to provide these places within the North has been to seek a site as part of the largest housing allocation and to provide a new school, should it be required, through developer contributions.

However, in the Central Area the falling birth rate in the district has caused a reduction in pupil numbers, which is a source of financial pressure in some of the schools that have previously operated at higher numbers on roll. This issue has been being monitored by the Local Authority for some years. Some schools have previously discussed reducing their Planned Admissions numbers to manage the intake of lower pupil numbers arising from the general decline in demand for places. This is an issue which officers will be revisiting over this year to consider whether this could be beneficial in the case of a growing surplus across the area.

One of the key concerns is that providing additional places too early to meet new demand for places in the North of Scarborough could further destabilise schools in central Scarborough. As present no site has been secured to deliver a further school in the North of Scarborough, should it be required, however the Local Authority has secured S106 contributions towards this provision and will continue to do so where possible.

8.7      Scarborough South Area (Eastfield and Cayton) –

The Scarborough South Area is the main area of proposed housing growth within the constituency area. Significant housing developments are underway at Middle Deepdale (Eastfield) and sites are allocated in the Local Plan for North of Middle Deepdale and also in the ‘South Cayton Strategic Area’. The latter two developments are not included in the figures appended as they do not yet have planning permission but are projected to require significant educational provision. Some of this need could be met at local schools but there is likely to be a need for additional schools within the area. The LA is working to ensure that, where appropriate, developer contributions are secured.

8.8       Whitby –

As demonstrated in the appended figures, there is significant surplus capacity within both the Primary and Secondary sector. Over the past year a significant reorganisation of secondary provision in Whitby has taken place. Following a statutory consultation process the amalgamation of Caedmon College Whitby (CCW) and Eskdale School from 1 September 2024 was agreed by the Council’s Executive in June 2023. As part of this process Eskdale School will close on 31 August 24, the current federation will cease and the newly amalgamated Caedmon College Whitby (new name: Whitby School) will operate from 1 September. The school will continue to serve the catchment area which is currently shared between CCW and Eskdale School. The school will operate as a single school across the Normanby and Scoresby sites. Although this process will reduce the surplus in secondary places in the Whitby area it will maintain a sufficiency of places to meet current and projected demand.

8.11     Rural Primary Schools- The rural areas of the constituency are characterised by small primary schools serving villages as well as, in some cases, very extensive sparsely populated catchment areas. The geography combined with low pupil numbers lead to financial and organisational challenges for some schools. Across the constituency area the schools have worked innovatively to mitigate these challenges including forming local federations. The fluctuation of pupil numbers exacerbates the already challenging nature of school funding for smaller schools.

9.0       Recommendation

9.1       That Members note the report on educational factors in the Selby and Ainsty constituency area.

Authors: Amanda Newbold (Assistant Director – Education and Skills), Howard Emmett (Assistant Director – Strategic Resources), Janet Crawford (Assistant Director – Inclusion),

APPENDIX 1

Planning Areas and forecast surplus/shortfall school places

School planning area *School located in a neighbouring constituency area	Places available as at 2023/ 2024	Number on Roll 2019/ 2020	Number on roll 2023/ 2024	Surplus Capacity 2023/ 2024	Forecast pupils as at 2028/ 2029	Pupils from current housing permissions until 2028/2029	Surplus capacity 2028/ 2029
PRIMARY
Scarborough Central Primary Area · Barrowcliff Primary · Gladstone Road Primary · Friarage CP  · St Martin’s CE CA Primary · Thomas Hinderwell Academy Primary · Wheatcroft CP	2371	2083	1836	535	1571	105	695
Scarborough Primary North · Newby & Scalby Primary · Northstead CP · St Peter’s RC Primary	1257	1267	1226	31	1112	95	50
Scarborough Primary Outer Area · Brompton & Sawdon CP · East Ayton CP · Hackness CE VC Primary · Lindhead School · Seamer & Irton CP · Snainton CE Primary · Wykeham CE Primary	1106	1044	1041	65	938	63	105
Scarborough Primary South · Cayton CP · Braeburn Primary & Nursery · Overdale CP · St George’s RC Primary	1262	881	896	366	823	166	273
Total	5996	5275	4999	997	4444	429	1123
School planning area *School located in a neighbouring constituency area	Places available as at 2023/ 2024	Number on Roll 2019/ 2020	Number on roll 2023/ 2024	Surplus Capacity 2023/ 2024	Forecast pupils as at 2028/ 2029	Pupils from current housing permissions until 2028/2029	Surplus capacity 2028/ 2029
Whitby Primary Outer Area · Castleton CP · Danby CE · Egton CE VA · Fylingdales CE · Glaisdale Primary · Goathland Primary · Hawsker cum Stainsacre CE VC · Lealholm Primary · Lythe CE VC Primary · Oakridge CP · Sleights CE · St Hedda’s RC Primary · Staithes, Seton CP	948	647	609	339	566	16	366
Whitby Primary Area · Ruswarp CE Primary · West Cliff Primary · Whitby, Airy Hill Primary · Whitby, East Whitby Primary · Stakesby CP	1050	794	750	300	673	88	289
Total	1998	1441	1359	639	1239	104	655
SECONDARY
Scarborough Secondary · George Pindar School · Graham School · Scalby School · St Augustine’s RC School · Scarborough UTC	4418	3378	3542	876	3398	224	796
Whitby Secondary · Caedmon College Whitby · Eskdale School	2019	1245	1130	889	1141	54	824

Note

· School planning areas are groups of schools which are used for assessing current and future pupil demand for school place provision and structured according to DfE guidelines.

· Figures above take into account outstanding housing permissions, but not undetermined planning applications or draft Local Plan proposals.  Pupil yield from housing is based on 25% for primary aged pupils and 13% for secondary aged pupils.