Response to Leeds City Council s consultation on secondary school provision in the Outer North East

Transcription

1 Respnse t Leeds City Cuncil s cnsultatin n secndary schl prvisin in the Outer Nrth East Alec Shelbrke MP Cnservative Member f Parliament fr Elmet & Rthwell

2 Alec Shelbrke MP Huse f Cmmns Lndn SW1A 0AA Telephne: alec.shelbrke.mp@parliament.uk Website: Cntents 1. Intrductin a. Bstn Spa High Schl b. Wetherby High Schl c. Summary 2. Lcal authrity decisin making 3. Frmat f the cnsultatin 4. Schl finances 5. Pupil numbers a. Presentatin f data b. Clsing schls whilst pening new nes c. Husing grwth and ppulatin prjectins 6. Appraisal f Leeds City Cuncil s prpsal 7. A future fr tw secndary schls in the area 8. A future fr Bstn Spa High Schl 9. A future fr Wetherby High Schl 10. Cnclusin

3 Intrductin It is the desire f my cnstituents t retain tw secndary schls in the Outer Nrth East, bth delivering utstanding educatin and supprting parental chice. It is the desire f Leeds City Cuncil t clse Bstn Spa High Schl and relcate pupils t Wetherby. Bstn Spa High Schl Bstn Spa High Schl has applied t becme an academy spnsred by The Grse Academy Trust (TGAT), fllwing cnsultatin with parents, staff and pupils. Bstn Spa High Schl was rated Gd by Ofsted at its last inspectin, but t avid casting and t achieve Outstanding in its next inspectin, the Gverning Bdy believes Bstn Spa High Schl will access better schl imprvement wrking with The Grse Academies Trust than it is currently receiving frm Leeds City Cuncil. I vted fr the Academies Act (2010) in Parliament and fully supprt the right f schls in my cnstituency t cnvert t academies. It is therefre my belief that Bstn Spa High Schl shuld be granted its academy rder t becme Bstn Spa Academy. Wetherby High Schl Wetherby High Schl is a fantastic schl in the heart f the vibrant market twn. Under its current leadership the schl is imprving and it recrded strng results in I am cnfident that if Wetherby High Schl was t be judged by Ofsted tday it wuld be rated as Gd. The Gverning Bdy f Wetherby High Schl has been in discussins with a number f Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and is actively cnsidering academy status. The Gverning Bdy and leadership f Wetherby High Schl have made clear t me that they wuld nt cnsider jining The Grse Academy Trust under any circumstance, therefre they cntinue t investigate ptins t cnvert t an academy with ther Multi-Academy Trusts, specifically nes with strnger links int Nrth Yrkshire. As a cmmunity hub at the heart f the twn, Wetherby High Schl plays a pivtal rle as an educatinal establishment and a cmmunity facility. The Wetherby Neighburhd Plan firmly establishes a plan t retain a secndary schl in Wetherby twn and I fully supprt this psitin. Summary The way in which Leeds City Cuncil has acted t date seeks t pitch ne cmmunity against the ther. As a Member f Parliament it is my rle t bring cmmunities tgether, nt t drive them apart. The Cuncil s argument fcusses little n educatin standards and utcmes fr pupils. Its prpsal is a plan t manage decline, rather than ne that sets a practive visin t imprve utcmes. Bth Bstn Spa and Wetherby High Schls are already imprving schls and further imprvement, alngside a psitive apprach t retain and attract mre pupils, shuld be the Cuncil s fcus. On behalf f my cnstituents I therefre ppse Leeds City Cuncil s plan t clse schls in my cnstituency and submit that tw secndary schls, bth delivering utstanding educatin and supprting parent chice, is the desire f thse I represent.

4 Lcal authrity decisin making In Leeds City Cuncil s Cmmunity Engagement Survey the fllwing statement sets ut the Cuncil s prpsal: The cuncil believes that the best lng term ptin is t clse bth schls, demlish Wetherby and rebuild it t pen a new schl n that site (page 4). I am deeply cncerned abut the legality f this statement. N frmal reprt including this prpsal has been shared with Elected Members representing the relevant Cuncil Wards, nr has a frmal reprt been presented t the Cuncil s Executive Bard r any vte f the Executive Bard taken place. Hw can it therefre be the case that the Cuncil has adpted a psitin when n cnsultatin with Elected Members has taken place? It appears t be the case that Leeds City Cuncil, in a rush t prevent a schl frm academising, has quickly put tgether a rugh plan and presented it as the Cuncil s agreed psitin. Indeed, the way in which this plan came int the public dmain seems t supprt this bservatin. I am infrmed that the Cuncil s Directr f Children s Services recently visited Bstn Spa High Schl and, with n paperwrk, verbally infrmed the schl s leadership that the Cuncil s intentin was t clse Bstn Spa High Schl and relcate pupils t Wetherby. Cncurrently, the same Cuncil fficial then visited Wetherby High Schl and infrmed its leadership that the Cuncil s intentin was t build a new schl in Wetherby, utilising funds frm the sale f land at Bstn Spa High Schl. In turn, this generated scaremngering and false hpe in the cmmunities I represent. Bstn Spa parents were infrmed by the schl s leadership that the Cuncil intends t clse their schl and Wetherby parents were infrmed by the schl s leadership that the Cuncil were ging t build them a new schl. This has caused much distress t parents and residents in my cnstituency and I remain exasperated by the unprfessinal apprach adpted thrughut. As the Member f Parliament fr the area I had n cmmunicatin whatsever frm the ruling administratin f the Cuncil. The nly crrespndence I have received n this matter was when the Cuncil s Chief Executive kindly cpied me int a letter he sent t the Parliamentary Under-Secretary f State n 19 th February Frmat f the cnsultatin In a letter t Leeds City Cuncil the Parliamentary Under-Secretary f State asked the authrity t undertake a frmal cnsultatin n all ptins fr the prvisin f secndary educatin in the Outer Nrth East, including academy ptins, and have it cmpleted befre the Cuncil ges int Purdah fr electins. A number f cnditins were attached t this request. In reply t this Ministerial request, Leeds City Cuncil agreed in principle t undertake a cnsultatin but argued that the cntent f the cnsultatin shuld nly be abut the Cuncil s belief that there shuld be ne schl serving the area.

5 I believe a brad cnsultatin n all ptins, as requested by the Minister, wuld have been the mst balanced way t cllect parental views. Instead, the Cuncil s cnsultatin is weighted significantly twards the utcme it wants, i.e. t clse a lcal schl and prevent it frm academising. Fr example, when cmpleting the cnsultatin nline respndents are first asked the fllwing questin: The ppulatin data indicates that nly ne schl is necessary. If yu agree wuld yu prefer t see this in Wetherby r Bstn Spa? This is nt s much a questin but a suggested statement f fact. There is n ptin at this stage fr cnsultees t favur a tw schl ptin r indeed t state that they disagree with the premise f the questin. Schl finances The Cuncil has presented nly headline data related t schl finances and cnsultees are therefre unable t prperly cmment n this imprtant cnsideratin. Current and predicted budget deficits at bth Bstn Spa High Schl and Wetherby High Schl are presented as actual sums ( 391,000 and 699,000 fr 2017/18 respectively), which means nthing withut knwing the verall schl budgets. In financial terms, any prfessinal wuld cnsider a budget deficit by calculating it as a percentage f incme and expenditure. This data shuld have been presented in full s cnsultees culd prperly understand the wider financial cntext. In the absence f this additinal infrmatin I think it apprpriate t set ut the cntext in which Leeds City Cuncil discusses budget deficits. I submitted the fllwing Parliamentary Written Questin t the Parliamentary Under-Secretary f State fr Educatin n 7 th February 2018: T ask the Secretary f State fr Educatin, what estimate he has made f the amunt held in reserves by maintained schls in the Leeds City Cuncil lcal authrity area in fr 2017/18? The Minister f State, the Rt Hn, Nick Gibb MP, replied n 21 st February 2018: The Department trusts schls t manage their wn budgets and the great majrity have a cumulative surplus f funds, built up ver a number f years. In 2016/ lcal authrity maintained schls in Leeds recrded a cumulative surplus, which ttalled 31,553,748.

6 Pupil numbers Presentatin f data Charts A and B (featured n pages 6 and 7 f the Cmmunity Engagement Survey) present census data indicating in which Wards children attending bth Wetherby High Schl and Bstn Spa High Schl reside. The Cuncil s presentatin f data is misleading. The Cuncil has, seemingly purpsefully, presented data in pie charts withut detailing the raw data, r indeed anntating the pie chart with percentage data. It may be that the Cuncil is attempting t present its data in a child-friendly manner, but this is simply insulting t my cnstituents and nly gives the impressin that the Cuncil is purpsefully attempting t withhld useful data. Furthermre, cmmentary n the data frm bth pie charts suggests that the primary purpse f bth Wetherby High Schl and Bstn Spa High Schl is t serve the Wetherby Ward. This is nt the case. The catchment area f bth schls in much larger than just the Wetherby Ward. Fr example, fr many f my cnstituents residing in the Harewd Ward, Bstn Spa High Schl is their nearest schl. If the Cuncil had chsen t present the actual data, r indeed simply anntated the pie charts with the percentage figures fr each cnstituent part, I d be able t include the actual ttal percentage f pupils this represents, alas I am unable t d s as the Cuncil has chsen nt the furnish cnsultees with this infrmatin. The Cuncil states: just ver 25% f the pupils wh attend Bstn Spa High Schl cme frm the lcal area, with a significant prprtin travelling in frm ther areas. Yet, fr many residents in the Harewd Ward, their nearest schl is Bstn Spa High Schl and in this sense the Harewd Ward must als be cnsidered part f the lcal area. Lking frm this perspective it is clear that arund 65% f pupils attending Wetherby High Schl reside in the Wetherby and Harewd Wards, cmpared t arund 60% f pupils attending Bstn Spa High Schl. Clsing schls whilst building new nes My cnstituents find it baffling that the Cuncil is prpsing the clsure f a schl in the Outer Nrth East, citing an undersupply f pupils, whilst actively supprting plans t build up t three new secndary schls near t the area, citing need fr new schl places.

7 It shuld be nted that whilst the Cuncil has nw cmmenced a cnsultatin prcess n its desire t clse ne schl in the Outer Nrth East, driven partly by the Cuncil s wn plan t build new schls in the Inner East, there are n cncrete plans in place fr the cnstructin f these new schls. As far as I am aware the Educatin Funding Agency has nt agreed plans fr the delivery f these new schls. Indeed, many f these prpsals are dependent n the cnstructin f new hmes in thse areas as they are t be funded in part by a Cmmunity Infrastructure Levy. The Lcal Plan, in which these plans are included, is still emerging and has nt yet been examined by Inspectrs r apprved by the Secretary f State fr Husing, Cmmunities and Lcal Gvernment. Figures in Charts A & B, referenced abve, shw that a significant number f pupils attending bth Wetherby High Schl and Bstn Spa High Schl reside in the Crss Gate & Whinmr Ward. The Cuncil s wn Lcal Plan prpses t develp ver 3,500 new dwellings (East Leeds Extensin) n the brder f the Crss Gates & Whinmr and Harewd Wards, abutting the A58 Wetherby Rad. As part f these plans, and t meet demand, the Cuncil prpses the cnstructin f a number f new secndary schls, including ne at Red Hall ff the A58. A further c.7,500 dwellings are prpsed fr the East Leeds Husing Market Characteristic Area (HMCA). It is my view that there is already sufficient capacity acrss Bstn Spa High Schl and Wetherby High Schl t retain the pupils frm Crss Gates & Whinmr, wh currently attend bth schls, and t accmmdate future increases in ppulatin as a result f new hmes planned n the brder f my cnstituency. Husing grwth and ppulatin prjectins Leeds City Cuncil s adpted Cre Strategy and emerging Lcal Plan prpses the cnstructin f 5,000 new dwellings in the Outer Nrth East, sme f which are already under develpment. The Cuncil s revised draft Site Allcatin Plan fr the Outer Nrth East, as submitted t the Secretary f State pending an Examinatin in Public, prpses ver 1,000 new dwellings n land East f Wetherby and up t 5,000 new dwellings near Aberfrd (in the Harewd Ward), within and beynd this plan perid. Additinal dwellings will generate additinal pupils and in bth these cases Bstn Spa High Schl and Wetherby High Schl will be lcal schls nearest t the develpments, as they are nw fr pupils frm thse areas. Ntwithstanding that Leeds City Cuncil s revised draft Site Allcatin Plan is subject t apprval fllwing an Examinatin in Public and that I believe sites included within it will be judged unsund it remains the case the Leeds City Cuncil will have t find sites fr 5,000 new dwellings within the Outer Nrth East, as that is what it has apprved in its Cre Strategy. These new hmes will generate demand fr schl places in the area and it is therefre shrt-sighted f Leeds City Cuncil t clse a schl tday that will be needed in the future. Furthermre, the Cuncil s prpsal des nt seem t take int cnsideratin what is happening in Nrth Yrkshire. Reference is made t the fact that a significant number f pupils (ver 50%) residing in Wetherby chse t attend schl in Nrth Yrkshire, but little reference is given t the number f pupils frm the neighburing Harewd Ward wh als attend schl in Nrth Yrkshire. Given that I have already established that the Harewd Ward is cnsidered the lcal area, these pupils shuld nt be dismissed as pssible returning pupils t Wetherby High Schl r Bstn Spa High Schl.

8 Mre alarmingly, there appears t be n reference r understanding f future ppulatin grwth in Nrth Yrkshire itself. As part f Harrgate Brugh Cuncil s Lcal Plan prcess, prpsals have been put frward fr 3,000 new dwellings near t Cattal, Nrth Yrkshire, which is 6 miles (10 minutes) drive frm Wetherby twn. This will result in ne f tw scenaris: a) children frm the new Nrth Yrkshire develpments will be registered nearer t existing secndary schls in Nrth Yrkshire and will therefre gain first preference, thereby leaving fewer r n places fr the children living near t Wetherby High Schl r Bstn Spa High Schl wh currently travel t Nrth Yrkshire; r b) children frm the new Nrth Yrkshire develpment 6 miles frm Wetherby High Schl will attend secndary schl in Wetherby. Appraisal f Leeds City Cuncil s prpsal Leeds City Cuncil s plan is nt financially viable. There has been n frmal reprt t the Cuncil s Executive Bard and n pprtunity fr Elected Members t scrutinise the financial viability f it. The entire business case is largely financed by the sale f the Bstn Spa High Schl site fr develpment, which wuld require the Secretary f State t remve an existing prtectin rder n the schl playing fields in rder t realise the maximum predicted financial benefit. There is n guarantee this will ever happen. Furthermre, there is a significant funding shrtfall in the Cuncil s plan. Within the Cuncil s cnsultatin there is n reference r detail n a business case fr their plan. Hwever, I d have in my pssessin a cpy f a presentatin dcument that Leeds City Cuncil presented t the Reginal Schls Cmmissiner at the Department fr Educatin ffices in Manchester n 29 th Nvember Surce: LCC Outer Nrth East Schl Places Prvisin Secndary Requirement Wetherby Assessment Dcument (i) Funding The Cuncil s wn dcument utlines the fllwing funding ptins/shrtfalls: - Apprximate cst f a new 10 frm entry secndary schl is c. 24millin (nt including the relcatin f Wetherby Sprts Hall). - Leeds City Cuncil s Plan accunts fr 19.5millin based n an assumptin that the Cuncil culd sell the prtected playing fields fr develpment and realise capital frm ther Cuncil-wned facilities in Wetherby. The full asset list fr the csting is: Sale f Barleyfields Scut Hut - 100,000 Sale f The Shambles - 500,000 (but leases dn t run ut until 2020) Sale f Wetherby Area Office - 600,000 Sale f Wetherby Library - 300,000 Sale f brwnfield land at Bstn Spa schl - 8,000,000 (assuming planning permissin culd be acquired fr new husing) Sale f prtected playing fields at Bstn Spa schl - 10,000,000 (assuming the prtectin rder culd be vercme and planning permissin culd be acquired fr new husing).

9 - (ii) The shrtfall in Leeds CC plan with the sale f the entire Bstn Spa schl site: 3.5 millin The shrtfall in Leeds CC plan withut the sale f prtected playing fields at Bstn Spa millin Challenges still t vercme The Cuncil s wn dcument sets ut challenges it is still t vercme and which wuld have a material impact n its ability t deliver a new schl in Wetherby: The Department fr Educatin s psitin in relatin t the 8 year rule fr dispsal fr any part f the Bstn Spa site. Implicatins fr the Cuncil with regards t the use f its capital receipts fr the delivery f a facility that has Trust/Academy status. Securing planning apprval fr the redevelpment f the whle f the Bstn Spa site fr husing develpment. Mitigatin measures required fr the ptential lss f N6 prtected playing fields and capital funding requirement. Cnsideratin fr highways impact mitigatin need t be assessed. Pst 16 prvisin has nt been factred int these prpsals. Lking at the abve, I cme t the bvius cnclusin that (a.) the Cuncil s prpsal is nt prperly funded; (b.) there are sme ptentially very cntrversial dispsals required and (c.) there are s many unknwns and, indeed, items utwith Leeds City Cuncil s direct cntrl, that it is far frm a sund basis n which t make decisins n the clsure and replacement f a schl r schls. It appears t me that varius parties have misled thse I represent. By making false prmises, which have nw been shared with parents, expectatins have been raised fr a plan that has a significant financial shrtfall and challenges that the Cuncil is yet t vercme. A future fr tw secndary schls in the area It is my strng belief that a tw-schl ptin is viable and it is the nly way t deliver the bjectives f parents, schl leaders and gvernrs at bth Wetherby High Schl and Bstn Spa High Schl. Leeds City Cuncil s pupil data is based n current data that reflect the standards and utcmes at bth Wetherby High Schl and Bstn Spa High Schl tday and ver recent years. Current prjectins d hwever shw a rising pupil rll and imprving standards at bth schls. A cmbinatin f the fllwing will make a tw-schl ptin viable: - Leeds City Cuncil shuld re-evaluate its plan t build a new schl (Red Hall) nearby t Bstn Spa in rder t accmmdate expected ppulatin grwth in the area; - Bth Bstn Spa and Wetherby High schls shuld put in place a strategy t retain pupils wh currently attend the schl frm utside f the Wetherby Ward (including the Harewd Ward and the Crss Gates and Whinmr Ward);

10 - Bth schls shuld be supprted in delivering new schl places fr increased pupil numbers generated frm the cnstructin f thusands f new hmes in the area as a result f Leeds City Cuncil s Lcal Plan; - Bth schls shuld be supprted in preparing fr increasing pupil numbers as a result f new hmes planned fr Nrth Yrkshire increasing demand n existing places at Nrth Yrkshire schls; - Bstn Spa High Schl shuld be allwed t academise and given the chance t mve the schl twards an Outstanding Ofsted judgment, which will in turn make the schl an attractive ptin fr prspective parents, thereby increasing pupil numbers; - Wetherby High Schl shuld be given the chance t cntinue n its current trajectry twards a Gd Ofsted judgment, which will in turn make the schl an attractive ptin fr prspective parents, thereby increasing pupil numbers; - The Reginal Schls Cmmissiner shuld initiate separate talks n a jint strategy with Bstn Spa High Schl and Wetherby High Schl in rder t deliver a new mdel fr pst- 16 prvisin in the Outer Nrth East. A future fr Bstn Spa High Schl Bstn Spa High Schl has submitted an applicatin t the Department fr Educatin in rder t becme an academy in partnership with The Grse Academies Trust (TGAT). This applicatin is supprted by parents, pupils and gvernrs. I am cnfident that a partnership with TGAT will allw Bstn Spa High Schl t access the quality educatinal imprvement and supprt it requires in rder t prevent casting and becme an Outstanding schl. An utstanding schl with great results will be an attractive ptin fr parents lking fr a schl in the Bstn Spa catchment area, including thse wh currently attend Bstn Spa but reside utside f the Wetherby Ward, and thse wh currently disregard Bstn Spa in favur f sending their children t schls in Nrth Yrkshire. A future fr Wetherby High Schl Leeds City Cuncil s plan is t clse bth Wetherby High Schl and Bstn Spa High Schl, then build a new academy in Wetherby. The Reginal Schls Cmmissiner (RSC) has infrmed me that this academy wuld need t be spnsred by a multi-academy trust (MAT) with a prven track recrd f delivering utstanding educatinal utcmes in rder t ensure that standards are maintained. The prcess fr selectin wuld invlve cnsultatin, but MATs wuld apply t the RSC with applicatins t run the academy. In these circumstances it is my belief that the result f this plan wuld be that The Grse Academies Trust (TGAT) wuld end up spnsring the new academy in Wetherby, despite the fact that Wetherby High Schl s current leadership has made clear t me that they wuld nt chse a partnership with TGAT. A tw-schl slutin is the nly way t ensure that Wetherby High Schl retains is autnmy. The Leeds City Cuncil s plan is t clse bth schls, merging children frm bth schls int ne new academy, which wuld be spnsred by a multi-academy trust. In this scenari, by effectively merging the pupil ppulatin f tw schls, there wuld need t be a jint steering grup f

11 parents and gvernrs frm bth Wetherby and Bstn Spa as an interim measure until an academy spnsr is appinted fr the academy and a new gverning bdy is frmed. In recent weeks I have received crrespndence frm hundreds f parents at Bstn Spa High Schl wh want their schl t cnvert t an academy spnsred by TGAT. If Leeds City Cuncil therefre brught abut a scenari f merging pupils frm bth Wetherby and Bstn Spa and frced a search fr a multi-academy trust t spnsr the new academy in Wetherby, it is clear that the Bstn Spa parents and gvernrs wuld cntinue t supprt TGAT as a spnsr f their academy. Obviusly, Wetherby parents (wh have nt yet been cnsulted at all n pssible academy spnsrs) wuld need t have their say but the current leadership and Gverning Bdy at Wetherby High Schl have made explicitly clear t me that they wuld bject, at all csts, t TGAT spnsring a new academy in Wetherby. I fully respect this psitin as I believe it is the right f individual schls t determine their wn futures. Bth Bstn Spa High Schl and Wetherby High Schl have a different eths and I d nt believe Wetherby High Schl shuld be frced against their wishes int a MAT partnership. The result f Leeds City Cuncil s plan will nt autmatically lead t Wetherby High Schl simply taking the Bstn Spa pupils and cntinuing t run Wetherby as it is tday. The new academy wuld be spnsred by a multi-academy trust and it wuld have a new gverning bdy. This culd mean Wetherby High Schl s existing gverning bdy wuld have less cntrl ver which academy spnsr it wuld want fr the new academy in Wetherby and I d nt cnsider this t be a desirable psitin fr Wetherby High Schl. Instead, I believe Wetherby High Schl shuld be given an pprtunity t deliver its wn plan fr the future. Standards and utcmes at Wetherby High Schl are already imprving and the emerging Wetherby Neighburhd Plan sets ut a clear visin fr delivering a new schl building in Wetherby. This plan des nt mentin the sale f Bstn Spa High Schl r any ther Cuncil assets utside f Wetherby Twn. Furthermre, in recent weeks residents have been alerted t emerging plans fr additinal develpment in Wetherby twn, which include ptins fr a new schl in Wetherby. In a letter t residents n 2 nd February 2018, Wetherby Ward Members nte: Last Friday [26 th January 2018] we were presented with a further ptin fr a new high schl by a lcal develper, we are referring this prpsal n t the relevant decisin makers. If Leeds City Cuncil has been presented with further ptins t fund a new schl building in Wetherby, then this shuld be an active cnsideratin as an alternative way f funding a new schl building in Wetherby, a visin established in the Wetherby Neighburhd Plan. One f the bstacles Wetherby High Schl is yet t vercme in seeking spnsrship with a Multi Academy Trust is the pr state f the existing buildings. A new schl building, funded withut the need t capitalise assets at Bstn Spa High Schl, wuld therefre allw Wetherby t vercme this bstacle and enter int frmal talks with academy spnsrs f its wn chsing. This wuld result in the retentin f tw schls, ne in Bstn Spa and ne in Wetherby. It is my principal bjective t see that we retain a secndary schl in Wetherby and that the existing gverning bdy has autnmy ver its wn future. I therefre supprt the Wetherby Neighburhd Plan, which makes n reference t Bstn Spa and seeks t deliver a new schl building in Wetherby, cnslidating in-twn facilities n ne site. This ptin will need additinal wrk n the type f leisure services that culd deliver maximum financial benefit fr cnstructin

12 wrks, as well as giving cnsideratin t additinal develpment prpsals submitted t Leeds City Cuncil. On balance, I cnsider this ptin t be mre viable than that prpsed by the Cuncil and I supprt this plan because I believe it is the ne that is mst likely t deliver a new schl building in Wetherby, whilst prviding autnmy t the existing gverning bdy. I am cnfident that if Wetherby High Schl cntinues n its current trajectry, then, alngside additinal supprt frm an academy spnsr f its wn chsing, the schl can cntinue t imprve standards and utcmes fr pupils and secure a Gd r Outstanding rating in the future. An utstanding schl with great results will be an attractive ptin fr parents lking fr a schl in the Wetherby catchment area, including thse wh currently disregard Wetherby in favur f sending their children t schls in Nrth Yrkshire. Cnclusin It is the desire f my cnstituents t retain tw schls in the Outer Nrth East, bth delivering utstanding educatin and prviding parental chice. Leeds City Cuncil s Cmmunity Engagement Survey has been designed t persuade cnsultees that there is nly need fr ne schl in the Outer Nrth East, it prvides n discussin n alternative ptins. Leeds City Cuncil s prpsal is t manage decline instead f setting a visin t attract mre pupils r deal with future increases in pupil numbers as a result f the Cuncil s Lcal Plan, which aims t deliver 70,000 new dwellings acrss the city. The business submitted in the Cuncil s Outer Nrth East Schl Places Prvisin Secndary Requirement Wetherby Assessment dcument is flawed and financially unsund. Disappintingly, Leeds City Cuncil s prpsal seems t avid the issue f hw the authrity prpses t raised standards and utcmes fr children in the Outer Nrth East, instead the supprtive dcuments talk mainly f financial assets and estate management. It is my belief that bth Bstn Spa High Schl and Wetherby High Schl have psitive futures ahead. Bth schls have delivered imprving standards and results. The schls must nw be given time t achieve their wn ambitins t becme gd r utstanding schls, which will in turn attract pupils back frm Nrth Yrkshire, retain pupils frm the wider catchment area and attract new pupils generated frm the large scale husing building prgramme prpsed by Leeds City Cuncil.