Issue details

Outcome of the Consultation on the proposal to permanently extend the age range of Widden Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 years from October 2022

The County Council undertook a consultation exercise on the proposal to extend the age range of Widden Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 between 7th March 2022 and 1st April 2022. The consultation followed a request from the Regional Schools Commissioner at the Department for Education to publish a statutory notice on extending the age range for the school during the conversion of the school to an academy. The proposed extension to the age range of the school was dependent on the conversion of the school to an academy.

There were no objections to the age range being extended from 4-11 to 2-11. However, following the publication of a statutory notice to extend the age range and the conclusion of the four-week period for representations to be made, Widden Primary School’s Governing Body decided not to proceed to convert the School to an academy. Therefore, it is proposed to abandon the proposal to extend the age range of the School from 4-11 to 2-11 years pending the school identifying further sponsors to enable the School to convert to an academy.

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Expenditure > £500,000 and 2 Divisions affected;

Decision status: Item Deferred

Notice of proposed decision first published: 26/09/2022

Decision due: Between 27 Sep 2022 and 28 Apr 2023 by Cabinet Member - Education, Skills and Bus Transport

Lead member: Cllr Philip Robinson, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Bus Transport philip.robinson@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Background papers

  • Officer decision to commence a consultation on the proposal dated 1st March 2022: Issue details - Consultation on the proposal to permanently extend the age range of Widden Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 from October 2022 (gloucestershire.gov.uk)  
  • Cabinet Member Decision dated 11th May 2022:Issue details - Approval to publish a statutory notice to permanently extend the age range of Widden Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 from October 2022. (gloucestershire.gov.uk)  
  • The overall functions of the Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills were subsumed into the Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Bus Transport through an amendment to the Constitution on 20th May 2022.  
  • Statutory Notice published to extend the age range of the school dated 9th June 2022: