Decision details

The committee considered a report on the amendment to recommendation 4 of the ‘Renewing the Sufficiency Strategy and Expanding Specialist Provision in Cheshire East – Options Paper’ report that was approved at the Children and Families Committee meeting on 19 January 2026.

Councillor Ken Edwards attended the meeting as a Visiting Member and spoke on this item. Councillor Edwards stated that it was vital that Cheshire East Council were confident that there was an organisation in Cheshire East which would be able to take on the responsibility of the school site. Councillor Edwards requested that delay in the process should be avoided at all costs and hoped that a partnership model could be developed based on the existing experience within Cheshire East.

Members were updated that the Council had been engaged in further conversations with the Department for Education and were now able to open up the potential school site to all providers. It was noted that to date, no proposals had been submitted and nothing had gone out to tender, and the Council had sought advice that the methodology was legally compliant, so the change in proposal would not open the Council up to a judicial review.

It was noted that regardless of the provider, the opening date of the school would be September 2028. It was noted that engaging with an existing provider would bring the benefits of better workforce planning, staff recruitment, existing links with the local education and parent community, and that existing schools within Cheshire East already have “Good” Ofsted ratings.

It was noted that the additional capacity within Cheshire East may provide an opportunity for children to move school to one which was better suited to them, and closer to their home.

RESOLVED (by Majority):

That the Children and Families Committee:

1. Approve the amendment to recommendation 4 that was approved at the Children and Families Committee meeting held on 19 January 2026: -

i) To pursue expressions of interest from existing state funded SEN schools in Cheshire East to open a satellite at Westfields site, which will be an expansion of their existing school.

2. Agree that if no suitable proposal is submitted, Committee approve that the service continues with the original approval as agreed at the Children and Families Committee meeting held on 19 January 2026, agenda item 7, resolution 4, as follows:

ii) To progress with undertaking the free school presumption process to identify and obtain agreement for a new school sponsor under section 6A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. This will include undertaking a consultation with the local community, schools, councillors, town council and local MP. This is not the formal statutory consultation which sponsors are required to undertake.

3. Agree that all expressions of interest submitted will be fully assessed to ensure they meet the necessary criteria for a satellite school and a further report with recommendations will be brought back to Cabinet for approval, prior to initiating the statutory consultation.