West Sussex academy will not be expanded despite secondary school placement chaos - This is why

West Sussex County Council said in March that ‘funding for feasibility’ to ‘increase the intake’ at The Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Lancing from 240 places to 300 had been approved.

A project manager was then allocated ‘to follow this through’ with the academy, which said it was ‘cooperating fully’ with the council’s feasibility study.

It came after dozens of Shoreham primary pupils were not offered a place at any of their three preferred schools in Adur – including Sir Robert Woodard Academy – with more than 2,000 people signing a petition against the decision.

However, the academy – in Upper Boundstone Lane – is unable to proceed with a permanent expansion.

Principal Kieran Scanlon said: “Our intention is not to expand and stick to our PAN (Published Admissions Number), which hasn't changed from 240. That's where we are at, certainly for the next few years.

"It's about the quality of education we provide and not compromising beyond that. Until a plan arrives to expand the academy that won't impact negatively on the quality of education, we are not willing to budge on that.”

The news follows an announcement from the county council that it has allocated extra funding ‘to create provision for accommodating bulge classes’ at the academy.

However, a county council spokesperson told this newspaper: “This funding is in respect of works already undertaken and is therefore essentially retrospective works. All capital investment in schools, benefits those on roll now and in future years.”

Mr Scanlon said the money that has arrived will pay for the portacabins that were built to ‘manage the bulge classes’ last year.

"We had already paid for those ourselves,” the principal said.

"We are going to update our admissions policy in the autumn. The consultation period is 18 months and nothing will change.

"Our PAN will continue to be 240 as it always has been. We are going to work positively with the local authority to find a more creative solution. We will definitely engage with that and be a part of negotiations.”

After issuing a written apology over the school placement dispute, West Sussex County Council leaders attended a meeting at the Shoreham Centre last month.

Paul Marshall, leader of West Sussex County Council; Lucy Butler, director for children, young people and learning; Graham Olway, head of service for organisation and planning and Paul Wagstaff, director of education and skills sat on a panel alongside campaign leaders Jade Sowa, Amy Boyse and Alastair Reid.

Speaking during the meeting, Jade described the situation as a ‘crisis’, adding: “There are more children in Adur than there are places. There are 55 children who didn’t get any of their preferences.”

The county council said it has a ‘statutory duty’ to provide sufficient school places ‘for all children who need a place’.

The county council said Sir Robert Woodard Academy – which is an eight form entry 11-18 secondary school with a sixth form – ‘has grown and accommodated bulge classes in recent years’ to ‘meet the demand for places’.

"This led to the requirement in 2022 for more teaching and dining space to be in place for pupils starting at the school in September 2022,” a council statement read.

"The school delivered the additional teaching accommodation and dining space as a school managed project to assist the county council in meeting the basic need for additional pupil places required in the Shoreham area and as such it is expected that the county council will meet the costs of the additional accommodation.”

The council said ‘approval is now sought’ for the allocation of received Section 106 monies and basic need funding from the Capital Programme ‘to reimburse the academy trust for the costs incurred’, in relation to delivery of the capital works ‘required to support the increased pupil numbers’.

Campaign leader Jade Sowa, from Shoreham, said she was unsuccessful in her appeal to send her child to Shoreham Academy instead of St Andrew's High School, in Sackville Road, Worthing. She is yet to hear back from Sir Robert Woodard Academy.

“I am not hopeful,” Jade said. “I know West Sussex have one of the worst rates for successful appeals in the country.

"They are weighing up the needs of your child vs the detriment of the school taking your child.

“On the government website it says they support local authorities, each year, to help them fulfil their duty to ensure there are enough school places for children in their local area.

"We have how many children in this area that don’t have places in their local school? What have they been doing? What are they doing with their money? It seems like a massive failing.”

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