A school has been refused permission to cut its intake by a quarter despite estimates of a “catastrophic” £2 million deficit after the local authority opposed the plans.
Winsford Academy wanted to slash its published admission number (PAN) amid falling numbers of pupils choosing the school.
At the time, it was the only secondary school in the local area rated ‘requires improvement’. However, the Office for the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) refused the application, despite admitting the change may help the school “attract more students”.
The OSA sided with Cheshire West and Chester Council, which said any reduction in the school’s roll would put their duty to provide sufficient places “at risk”.
Sector leaders believe the case is a “symptom of the system sailing so close to the [financial] wind”, with budgets expected to get tighter as schools look for more savings to cover potential unfunded pay rises.
‘Catastrophic losses’
Winsford Academy wanted to cut its year 7 PAN by 25 per cent to 180. This came after it welcomed 168 year 7s this September, well short of its PAN of 240.
The Halliard Trust, which runs the secondary, believes the school is on track for a “catastrophic” £2.2 million deficit by the end of 2031. It blamed this on the fact per-pupil funding is lagged, with allocations based on numbers from the year before and continual under recruitment. The move would also allow it to be “confident” of admitting about 180 children each year.
It could then restructure and “staff on the basis of six classes per year group in most subjects”, giving it “stability in staffing [and] possibly increasing the quality of the provision through continuity”. It would also be eligible for additional “growth” funding should the school then be oversubscribed.
Places ‘risk’ and £60k bus costs
However, Cheshire West and Chester council argued the plans “risk the local authority failing to meet its statutory duty to provide sufficient school places”. It pointed to forecasts showing space for more than 180 children – but below 240 – would be needed in future years.
The council added it would also have to stump up about £60,000 more a year in transport costs to bus children elsewhere under the plans. This is because its other secondaries are more than three miles from Winsford Academy.
Schools adjudicator Deborah Pritchard upheld the authority’s objection, despite acknowledging the academy’s “educational reasons have merit”.
“A lower PAN would make it more likely that the school is oversubscribed,” Pritchard said. “An oversubscribed school is often perceived to be a better school and this can attract more students and staff.”
However, Pritchard ruled the trust’s finance concerns “are not sufficient to justify the potential lack of places”, adding the council must “plan ahead”.
Halliard chief executive Jeremy Spencer said the verdict was “not what we would have hoped for”.
The trust has “a very good relationship with the local authority” and plans “to keep talking” to “find a solution that will help Winsford Academy continue on its journey of improvement”.
A Cheshire West and Chester spokesperson said it is “required to ensure that there are sufficient school places for all pupils in our local area”. It will “work in partnership with all our schools to fulfil that duty”.
Schools ‘sailing close to wind’
Another factor in the case was that the local authority signed a £135,000 agreement with Halliard last year, “which secured a permanent PAN of 240 in receipt of capital funding from the council”.
Institute of School Business Leadership CEO Stephen Morales believes the Winsford case is a “symptom of the system sailing so close to the wind. In an environment where there was headroom these kinds of things wouldn’t be such a problem, but that’s not the situation we find ourselves in.”
In its evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body, the Department for Education said schools must find savings to cover a proposed 6.5 per cent wage increase over three years.
The Confederation of School Trusts’ annual survey of 390 trust chief executives, published in September, showed financial sustainability was leaders’ number one priority this year.
More than half of respondents are considering cuts to classroom staff to balance the books, with 60 per cent looking at reducing teaching assistant hours and a third considering school leadership changes.
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