A requirement of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA) is to produce annually a School Organisation Plan for a five year period.  The plan which is consulted widely in June/July has to be approved by the School Organisation Committee.

The membership of the School Organisation Committee comprises LEA representatives, schools reps through the Governors, Diocesan, Learning and Skills Council and other faiths group.  The committee is part of the government's move to more local decision making to take the place of the Secretary of State in determining changes in the organisation of schools.

Thus the School Organisation Plan is a contextual document which sets out the policies and practices that the LEA has on such things as mergers, transport, sizes of schools, post 16 etc.  It also describes the supply and demand for places and draws heavily on the Projections information and the surplus place return to do this.

The theory is that when a proposal to change the character of a school is brought to the School Organisation Committee for approval, they will be able to recognise the individual school proposal as part of a wider policy and therefore approve implementation.  In the case of a disagreement, as a last resort the proposal is sent to an independent adjudicator.

A copy of the current School Organisation Plan is available from the Planning Information Officer.