North Yorkshire County Council

Thirsk & Malton Area Constituency Committee

1 October 2021

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 Thirsk & Malton constituency committee area.

2.0       Local educational landscape

2.1       There are now 18 primary academies and 5 secondary academies within the Thirsk & Malton constituency area.  The academy conversion rate for primary schools is similar within the constituency area when compared to the county as a whole (31.6% compared to 32.1% in North Yorkshire.) The academy conversion rate for secondary schools is higher (71.4% compared to 62.8% in North Yorkshire).

            Summary of schools’ status – September 2021

	Schools in North Yorkshire		Schools in Thirsk & Malton ACC
Primary Maintained	205	67.9%	39	68.4%
Primary Academy & Free School	97	32.1%	18	31.6%
Total	302		57
Secondary Maintained	16	37.2%	2	28.6%
Secondary Academy	27	62.8%	5	71.4%
Total	43		7
Special Maintained	7	70%	1	100%
Special Academy	3	30%	0
Total	10		1
PRU Maintained	4	80%	0	0%
PRU Academy	1	20%	0
Total	5		0
Total maintained Total Academy Overall Total	232 128 360	64.4% 35.6%	42 23 65	64.6% 35.4%

3.0       School standards

3.1       School Ofsted judgements

            In the constituency area 77.2 per cent of primary schools are judged good or outstanding by Ofsted, which is below the North Yorkshire and national averages. In terms of secondary schools, 57.1 per cent are judged good or outstanding, which is also lower than the North Yorkshire and national averages. There are 15 schools currently judged requires improvement or inadequate in the constituency area. 

3.2       Attainment overall

The Committee has previously (23 September 2020) considered a report which contained all of the key attainment data for 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Over the last 2 years, exams and assessments in schools have not taken place because of the disruption to students’ education caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In 2020, GCSEs, AS and A level exams, and those for some equivalent qualifications, faced widespread cancellation and were replaced with a grading process involving centre assessment followed by statistical standardisation. Ultimately, statistical standardisation was dropped in favour of teacher/ centre assessment, unless the adjusted grades were higher.

Summer 2021 assessments were awarded based on teacher or centre assessment and no statistical adjustment processes were used. Final results for many qualifications, including GCSEs and A Levels, were released to schools in August 2021. Review and appeal processes have been made available where students believe they received the wrong grades, but overall, final grades were significantly higher in both 2020 and 2021 than in 2019.

The Government intends for GCSEs, AS, A Level and equivalent assessments and exams to go ahead in England in summer 2022 and has consulted on assessment arrangements. It is proposing some changes to general, and vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs). Additionally, current plans would see school-level performance (league) tables reintroduced for the end of the GCSE phase (key stage 4) in 2022; school-level information is not being published during either 2020 or 2021. Further detail is expected about how the assessments will be graded in 2022 and beyond. Some concerns remain about whether these measures will go far enough to address inequalities, and whether schools, colleges, and students will have enough notice of the final arrangements.

In primary schools, national curriculum assessments due to be held in summer 2020 and summer 2021, including tests, teacher assessments and the phonics screening check, were also cancelled too. These statutory assessments are expected to resume in 2022 and we will also see the wider introduction of the Reception Baseline Assessment.

Due to the changes in exams and assessments, the DfE has not collected and released school data for comparative purposes and so there is nothing to report to this Committee until Autumn 2022 when the results of the summer 2022 cycle will have been published.

4.0       Fixed-term and Permanent Exclusions

4.1      Fixed-term exclusion incidents

Fixed term exclusions
Academic year	Thirsk and Malton	North Yorkshire	Percentage of North Yorkshire total	Most common reason
2020/21	536	3257	16.5%	Persistent disruptive behaviour (55.4%)
2019/20	769	4366	17.6%	Persistent disruptive behaviour (63.5%)
2018/19	831	5962	13.9%	Persistent disruptive behaviour (47.8%)
2017/18	846	6,005	14.1%	Persistent disruptive behaviour (48.2%)
2016/17	650	4,583	14.2%	Persistent disruptive behaviour (46.8%)

In the 2020/21 academic year, there have been a total of 3257 fixed term exclusions for a total of 1462 individual children in North Yorkshire. 219 of these children were on roll of mainstream schools in Thirsk and Malton constituency. The current rate of children fixed-term excluded at least once in the year is 2% of the mainstream school population in the constituency.

In the same period last year, there were 4189 fixed-term exclusions for a total of 1491 individual children, 246 of these children were on roll of mainstream schools in Thirsk and Malton constituency.

In the 2020/21 school year, 536 of the 3257 incidences of fixed-term exclusions in mainstream schools across the county were applied to 219 children and young people who went to schools in the constituency.

The most common reason for a fixed-term exclusion in the constituency has consistently been ‘persistent disruptive behaviour’.

In 2019/20 schools in the constituency area had a 15.1% share of the schools population in North Yorkshire and 17.6% of fixed term exclusions for the county, this decreased to 15.7% in the 2020/21 academic year.

Fixed-term exclusions can be a useful sanction, but frequent use can place pressure on family and foster placements, impacts on achievement, and may lead to risky behaviour while the pupil is not in school during the day.

4.2      Permanent exclusions

Permanent exclusions
Academic year	Thirsk and Malton	North Yorkshire	Percentage of North Yorkshire total
2020/21	4	26	15.4%
2019/20	9	52	17.3%
2018/19	15	87	17.3%
2017/18	15	103	14.6%
2016/17	10	86	11.6%

4.3       From September 2020 the transition of the Pupil Referral Service (PRS) to    provide preventative places to reduce the need for secondary exclusions has been introduced. Schools are able to request placements at the PRS as part of a joint education programme for children that are disengaging from mainstream school. The partnership approach between the PRS and school will ensure that children receive the necessary support without a permanent exclusion. Post implementation review of this practice was due to be carried out this year but has been delayed due to Covid 19 and will take place next year.

5.0      Special Education Needs and Disabilities

5.1 Targeted Mainstream Provision- Reshaping of SEN Provision in Thirsk & Malton over the 2020/21 Academic Year

The development of the new model of provision, Targeted Mainstream Provision (TMP) is intended to help the LA meet demand for full time education provision for children with SEND and who have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This model delivers provision for children and young people who are able to access mainstream education but with additional support for their special educational needs.

Over the 2020/21 academic year the first provisions were successfully opened and a number of schools were approved to operate TMPs.  Both secondary and primary Communication and Interaction targeted provision to support children and young people in this area will begin admitting pupils during 2021/22.  The secondary SEMH targeted provision for this area will be delivered via a partnership between Hambleton Pupil Referral Unit and Thirsk School hosted on the Thirsk School site.  A comprehensive plan for capital works is currently being developed to ensure that high quality provision can be delivered on this site.

Work is continuing through 2021/22 to increase the amount of TMPs in areas which do not yet have host schools identified, to ensure that the LA has capacity to meet demand for this provision.

The ‘outreach’ offer for children and young people with SEND continues to be met by the SEND multi-disciplinary hubs made up of specialist staff employed directly by the Local Authority including specialist teachers, practitioners, educational psychologists and therapists.

5.2 SEN Statistics for Constituency Area

As of January 2021 there were 500 children living in the constituency with a North Yorkshire funded EHC plan, 14.1% of the North Yorkshire total. The most common needs for children with a North Yorkshire funded EHC plan living in the area are Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at 27.8 % and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) at 21.2%, and Moderate Learning Disabilities  (MLD) at 20.0%.

            As of January 2021 school census there were 1577 children recorded as SEN Support from schools in this constituency, 16.9% of the North Yorkshire total. The most common needs for children receiving SEN support in the area are Moderate Learning Difficulties at 24.6% and Speech, Language and Communication at 21.5%.

6.0       Elective Home Education

As of 31st August 2021 there were 904 children recorded as Electively Home Educated in North Yorkshire, 147 of which were formerly from a mainstream school in Thirsk and Malton ACC. At the same point last year, there were 688 children EHE in North Yorkshire, 112 formerly from a mainstream school in Thirsk and Malton ACC.  This represents a 31% increase in North Yorkshire and a 31% increase in Thirsk and Malton ACC.

Between 1st Sept 2020 to 31st August 2021, 483 children became EHE in North Yorkshire, 75 of which were formerly educated in a mainstream school in Thirsk and Malton ACC. This figure was 52 from Thirsk and Malton of 294 becoming EHE in North Yorkshire, in the same period last year.

7.0       School Finance

7.1       Schools in Financial Difficulty – the countywide position

As of March 2021 the overall position for North Yorkshire Schools was:

· 22 schools with accumulated deficits totalling £7.5M

· This was an increase of £0.4M from 2019/20 (after adjusting for school closures, amalgamations and academy conversions in 2020/21)

· Deficits range from £1k (special school) up to £1.6M (special school)

· The average primary school deficit is £57k

· The average secondary school deficit is £596k

· 3 schools out of the 22 have since converted to Academy status or closed since 31^st March 2021

· Of the 19 schools remaining, 9 schools are predicting that their position will deteriorate, 8 are projected to improve their financial position and 2 are projected to return to a surplus position as at 31^st March 2022

7.2       School Projections - Based on May 2021/22 Start budgets

· 143 LA maintained schools (67%) are projecting an in-year deficit in 2021/22

· 6 schools are projected to move from a surplus balance to a deficit balance by March 2022

· 12% (26 schools) are forecast to be in deficit at 31^st March 2022, this is projected to rise to just under one in five by March 23 and just under two out of five by March 24.

	2018/19 (Actual)	2019/20 (Actual)	2020/21 (Actual)	2021/22 (Forecast)	2022/23 (Forecast)	2023/24 (Forecast)
Number of Schools in Deficit	47	37	22	26	40	79
Value of Deficit	£6.0M	£7.2M	£7.5M	£8.5M	£9.4M	12.8M
Proportion of schools in deficit	18%	15%	10%	12%	19%	37%

7.3       Funding

· Concern around overall quantum of funding given cost pressures (e.g. future pay awards, the longer term impact of the Covid pandemic in terms of additional expenditure requirements and potential income losses).

· North Yorkshire secondary schools are placed 138 out of 150 local authorities in terms of funding. On average, a school in North Yorkshire will receive £5,570 per pupil in 2021-22 compared to a national average of £5,935. Comparing the funding for a 1,500 pupil secondary school this equates to a difference in funding of £0.5m.

· North Yorkshire primary schools are placed 35 out of 150 local authorities in terms of funding.  For primary schools, a North Yorkshire school will receive on average £4,715 per pupil compared to a national average of £4,611.

· Concern over the impact of continued high needs financial pressures on school budgets.

· 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.  DfE proposed changes to increase sparsity funding will come into effect for 2022/23 school funding, however the maximum sparsity funding increase for a small secondary school is £10k. NYCC continues to lobby the DfE and local MPs for higher levels of funding for the small, rural secondary schools within the LA.

7.4       Schools in Financial Difficulty – Thirsk and Malton

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 six closures in the county over the last three years but none in the constituency area.

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 six federations in the Thirsk and Malton area. All of these federations consist of two maintained schools with a single governing body and headteacher. The Ryedale Federation of four schools (one secondary school and three primary) has now converted to Academy status.

8.3 Pupil rolls – current and future

            The County 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

The County Council is carefully monitoring pupil numbers across the Thirsk and Malton 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. Across the constituency the schools have worked innovatively to mitigate these challenges including forming local federations. Like all small schools the fluctuation of pupil numbers exacerbates the already challenging nature of school funding.

The general picture across the whole of the County shows projected growth in the urban areas contrasting with declining numbers in rural locations. There are several social and economic reasons for this including the availability and price of housing and employment factors.   

           Appendix 1 does not include projections of pupil yield from sites proposed in the Hambleton or Ryedale Local Plans which do not yet have planning approval.  However, within the Hambleton area Thirsk and Easingwold are the main urban areas and over the Local Plan period will accommodate most of the growth. In the Ryedale district the main urban centre is made up of the adjoining towns of Malton and Norton. In the Ryedale Local Plan a high proportion of the projected housing need has been allocated to sites within this area. As part of the usual Local Plan process Ryedale District Council are preparing to review their plan and consider their options going forward. LA Officers will work with colleagues at RDC to consider Educational impact of any further plans.

The key points to note within LA planning areas across the constituency area are:

8.4      Easingwold Area - Significant housing completions in the town have led to the expansion of Easingwold and further expansion of Easingwold is proposed in Hambleton’s Local Plan. Officers have reviewed the expected impact of the Local Plan on the need for additional school capacity at Easingwold Community Primary School and have worked with Hambleton on developing their preferred site for the allocated housing. The Local Plan’s preferred development site in Easingwold includes additional land for the primary school to replace playing field and site area shortfalls, and also additional car parking space. There is sufficient capacity in Easingwold’s secondary school to accommodate the anticipated pupil yield from Local Plan housing.

8.5      Thirsk Area – The Sowerby Gateway housing development, in the Sowerby area of Thirsk, is now complete.  Keeble Gateway Academy, a one-form-entry primary school run by Elevate multi-academy trust, has been built to serve the Sowerby Gateway development.  The phased opening of Keeble has helped to avoid destabilising existing schools.  There remains some surplus capacity in Thirsk’s secondary school.  Given the projected levels of housing growth in the area, however, the school could approach capacity in the future.

8.6      Malton and Norton Area Primary– As stated above, the Malton and Norton area is the main area of projected housing growth identified in the Ryedale Local Plan. In the recent years a further form of entry (210 places) was added to Norton Community Primary School partly through the development of a new satellite site at Brooklyn House. This was projected to meet the need for new places arising from existing sites with planning permission within Norton. There is a further school site allocated within the Local Plan for the largest housing allocation in the district at Norton Lodge. NYCC Officers are working with RDC colleagues and the developer to secure the site as part of a S106 agreement at the planning stage. We understand that the Norton Lodge application has now been submitted and is currently going through the validation process.

           Alongside these expansions in Norton there has been a parallel strategy to increase places in Malton. Projects were explored to provide further places through S106 contributions at both Malton Community Primary School and St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School. The latter of these projects has now completed and provides a further half form of entry (105 places) at St Mary’s. At present, pupil yields arising from the housing developments in Malton have not been as high as projected and, as such, no further expansions are planned at this time. The situation is being monitored and if this changes further expansion can be reconsidered.

8.7      Malton and Norton Area Secondary- At the outset of the Local Plan process in Ryedale there was surplus capacity at both the secondary schools within the Malton and Norton school place planning area. However, given the projected levels of housing growth it was acknowledge that at some point further secondary places may need to be provided within the area. The LA has recently completed a project at Malton School to support an increase in their Admission Number. This will provide some additional places that are projected to be required in coming years. However, there is still further capacity available at Norton Academy and the LA will work with both schools to consider further expansion if this becomes necessary.

8.8      Kirkbymoorside Primary Capacity- The last year has seen the partial build out of a longstanding housing allocation in Kirkbymoorside. Local Authority officers have worked with the Primary School and their Academy Trust to consider the long-term effects of this development on pupil numbers at the school. Initial estimates show a pupil yield that is higher than projected and, as such, preparations are underway for a feasibility study to consider the expansion of the school to meet emerging need.

9.0       Recommendation

9.1       That Members note the report on educational factors in the Thirsk and Malton constituency area.

Authors: Amanda Newbold (Assistant Director – Education and Skills), Howard Emmett (Assistant Director – Strategic Resources), Jane Le-Sage (Assistant Director – Inclusion), Andrew Dixon (Strategic Planning Manager)

Appendix 1 - School Place Planning data

APPENDIX 1

Planning Areas and forecast surplus/shortfall school places

School planning area	Places available as at 2020/ 2021	Number on Roll 2016/ 2017	Number on roll 2020/ 2021	Surplus Capacity 2020/ 2021	Forecast pupils as at 2025/ 20265	Pupils from current housing permissions until 2025/2026	Surplus capacity 2025/26
PRIMARY
Thirsk All Saint’s Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy, Sowerby Primary Academy, Thirsk CP	899	596	623	276	588	102	209
Thirsk Outer Area Alanbrooke School, Carlton Miniott Primary Academy, Knayton CE Academy, Sessay CE VC Primary, South Kilvington CE VC Primary, Topcliffe CE Academy and 3 schools outside the constituency area	968	804	841	127	703	61	204
	1867	1400	1464	403	1291	163	413
Malton & Norton Amotherby CP, Malton CP, Norton CP, St Mary’s RC, Malton	1344	1098	1201	143	1090	71	183
Malton & Norton Outer Area Foston CE VC Primary, Hovingham CE VC Primary, Langton Primary, Leavening CP, Luttons CP, Rillington CP, Sand Hutton CE VC Primary, Settrington All Saint’s CE VC, Slingsby CP, Terrington CE VA, Warthill CE, Weaverthorpe CE, Welburn CP, West Heslerton CE	1010	835	815	195	778	36	196
	2354	1933	2016	338	1868	107	379
Easingwold Easingwold CP	297	259	248	49	224	72	1
Easingwold Outer Area Alne Primary, Crayke CE VC Primary, Forest of Galtres Anglican/Methodist Primary, Huby CE VC, Husthwaite CE, Linton on Ouse Primary, Sheriff Hutton Primary, Stillington Primary, Sutton on the Forest CE	1014	866	766	248	652	34	328
	1311	1125	1014	297	876	106	329
North Ryedale Primary Area Helmsley CP, Kirkbymoorside CP, Pickering Community Infant, Pickering Community Junior, St Joseph’s RC Primary	990	882	777	213	703	99	188
North Ryedale Primary Outer Area Gillamoor CE, Nawton CP, Rosedale Abbey CP, Sinnington CP, St Benedict’s RC Academy, St Hilda’s Ampleforth CE, Thornton Dale CE	633	445	451	182	422	14	197
	1623	1327	1228	395	1125	113	385
School planning area	Places available as at 2020/ 2021	Number on Roll 2016/ 2017	Number on roll 2020/ 2021	Surplus Capacity 2020/ 2021	Forecast pupils as at 2025/ 20265	Pupils from current housing permissions until 2025/2026	Surplus capacity 2025/26
Filey Primary Filey Junior, Filey CE Nursery & Infants Academy	548	425	448	100	439	58	51
Filey Outer Area Hertford Vale CE VC Primary, Hunmanby Primary, Sherburn CE VC Primary	392	365	387	5	360	27	5
	940	790	835	105	799	85	61
Boroughbridge Primary Outer Area St Peter’s Brafferton CE VA Primary and 7 schools outside the constituency area	784	548	566	218	575	79	130
Northallerton Primary Outer Area South Otterington CE Primary and 7 schools outside the constituency area	819	565	577	242	542	37	240
SECONDARY
Thirsk Thirsk School & Sixth Form	1255	904	934	323	1054	57	144
Central Ryedale Malton School Norton College	1858	1519	1687	171	1937	53	-132
Easingwold Outwood Academy Easingwold	1336	935	642	694	576	50	710
North Ryedale Lady Lumley’s School, Ryedale School	1892	1487	1676	216	1605	51	236
Filey Ebor Academy Filey	810	407	420	390	448	44	318

Note

· Figures above take into account outstanding housing permissions, but not undetermined planning applications or draft Local Plan proposals.