Memorandum submitted by Slough Borough
Council (SA 39)
1. SLOUGH
Slough is situated in the Thames Valley in the
South-East of England. It is an urban area, including the town
of Slough and its large business areas, but also areas of greenbelt
surrounding the town. It shares many of the characteristics of
West London as well as those of some other Berkshire areas.
Slough was established as a Unitary Authority
in April 1998, the area was formerly part of Berkshire County
Council. Slough Unitary Authority is one of the smallest in the
country. Neighbouring authorities include Buckinghamshire to the
north and west, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to the
south, London Borough of Hillingdon to the east, and Surrey to
the south-east.
2. NUMBER OF
PEOPLE
There are 119,067 people resident in Slough
Unitary Authority (source: Census 2001), including 26,591 children
aged 0-15 years.
The number of people in Slough has increased
by 13,700 (13%) since 1991. This is the 11th highest increase
in England and Wales (out of 376 authorities) and the 2nd highest
increase in the South-East region[1]
(source: Census 2001, National Statistics Online Profile).
3. NUMBER OF
YOUNG PEOPLE
In 2001, 27.3% (32,540) of the population of
Slough were young people and school children under 19 years of
age. 8,211 (6.9%) were aged 0-4 years; 8,350 (7%) were aged 5-9
years; 8,369 (7%) were aged 10-14 years; and 7,610 (6.4%) were
15-19 years. Overall, Slough has a younger than average population,
with higher numbers of 20-39 year olds and fewer older residents
than the UK average.
4. ETHNIC AND
RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
Slough has a very diverse ethnic population.
Whilst the largest heritage group in Slough is White heritage
(with 75,843 people making up 63.7% of the population), Slough
has one of the smallest proportions of White heritage people in
the country (ranking 367th out of 376 authorities), and the lowest
in the South-East authorities.
The largest ethnic minority groups are Indian
(16,719—14%); Pakistani (14,360—12.1%); and Black
Caribbean (3,470—2.9%). Slough also has one of the highest
percentages of people born outside the UK in the country (24%
are born outside the UK compared to 9% nationally). Furthermore,
Slough has the highest proportion of people born outside the European
Union in the South-East region.
Slough has the highest concentration of Muslim
(13.4%), Sikh (9.1%), and Hindu (4.5%) residents in the South-East;
and the highest proportion of Sikh residents in the country.
5. DEPRIVATION
Slough has 3.4% unemployment (2001 census),
low in comparison with some parts of the country, but the highest
in the Berkshire area. Slough people have average levels of income,
but this masks significant localised poverty, some based on geographical
areas and some on particular cultural groups. Many Slough residents
are in low paid employment, often outside the borough, while 70%
of those employed in Slough are not local residents[2].
Indices of Deprivation 2000, produced for national
government, rank wards and local authority areas on a number of
factors including income; employment; health deprivation and disability;
education skills and training; housing and geographical access
to services. These scores are combined into a single deprivation
score for each area.
Slough is ranked 107th out of 354 districts
(where district ranked 1 is the most deprived), putting it amongst
the top third most deprived local authorities in the country.
There are 14 wards in Slough, six of these are
ranked in the bottom 25% of most deprived wards in the country,
although none are in the 10% most deprived. A further six are
also in the bottom half of wards in terms of deprivation, with
only two in the top half, and none in the top 25%.
The most deprived wards overall in Slough are
Britwell, Stoke, Baylis, and Chalvey. The least deprived wards
overall are Langley St Mary's and Cippenham.
Chalvey is in the bottom 10% of wards in the
country for education skills and training. Chalvey, Baylis, Stoke,
Wexham Lea, Central and Farnham wards are in the bottom 10% in
terms of housing. Stoke, Chalvey, Britwell, Wexham Lea, Baylis,
and Central are in the bottom 10% of wards for child poverty.
Slough has a higher than average proportion
of the working population with low or very low literacy skills[3].
It also has a higher proportion of those in the working population
having low numeracy skills.
As in the rest of the Thames Valley, employers
perceive skill shortages in ICT, office and secretarial, marketing
and sales[4].
6. ORGANISATION
OF SLOUGH
SCHOOLS
Slough has 47 schools organised into nursery,
some infant and junior, primary, secondary, and special schools.
Slough has 11 secondary schools, comprising of seven non-selective,
and four selective schools.
7. DEMOGRAPHICS
OF SLOUGH
SCHOOLS
Category of school
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS BY CATEGORY (SOURCE PLASC,
JANUARY 2003)
|
| Type | Community
| Voluntary
controlled
| Voluntary
aided
| Foundation | Total
|
|
| Nursery | 5 |
0 | 0
| 0 | 5
|
| Infant | 6 |
0 | 1
| 0 | 7
|
| Junior | 3 |
0 | 1
| 1 | 5
|
| Primary | 7 |
2 | 3
| 5 | 17
|
| Secondary (non-selective) | 4
| 1 | 1
| 1 | 7
|
| Secondary (selective) | 0
| 0 | 1
| 3 | 4
|
| Special | 2 |
0 | 0
| 0 | 2
|
| Total | 27 |
3 | 7
| 10 | 47
|
|
Four of the five nurseries share a campus site with infant/junior
schools; the fifth is a stand-alone nursery. Five of the infant
schools share sites with the five junior schools; the other two
infant schools are not partnered with a junior school. Slough
has one of the highest levels of selection in the country, with
four selective grammar schools and seven non-selective schools.
The following lists the differences between the categories
of school. It should however be noted that these are general differences;
ownership of land and other characteristics may differ for some
individual schools.
Community schools (formerly county schools)—usually
the LEA employ the staff, own the school land and buildings and
has the primary responsibility in deciding admissions arrangements.
Foundation schools (mainly former Grant Maintained schools)—usually
the governing body employs staff and decides admissions arrangements.
The land and buildings are usually owned by the school or by a
charitable foundation. Slough has a higher than average proportion
of pupils attending Foundation schools, both at primary (27% compared
to 3% nationally) and at secondary (43% compared to 16% nationally).
Voluntary Aided schools (normally church schools)—usually
the governing body employs staff and decides admission arrangements.
The land is usually owned by a charitable foundation and the governing
body contributes towards capital costs. Foundation governors representing
the charitable foundation or diocese sit on the governing body.
Slough has a higher than average proportion of pupils attending
Voluntary Aided schools at the secondary stage (18% compared to
15% nationally), but a slightly lower than average proportion
at primary schools (16% compared to 19%). All of Slough's Voluntary
Aided schools are Catholic schools (five primaries and two secondaries).
Voluntary Controlled schools (normally church schools)—usually
a charitable foundation owns the school but the LEA employs staff
and decides admissions arrangements. A higher proportion of Slough
secondary pupils attend Voluntary Controlled schools than nationally
(7% compared to 4%), however a slightly lower proportion of primary
pupils attend Voluntary Controlled schools than nationally (5%
compared to 10%). All Slough's Voluntary Controlled schools are
Church of England schools (two primaries and one secondary). The
2001 census shows 54% of the population to be Christian (Church
of England, Catholic, and other Christians) one of the lowest
proportions of any authority.
Denomination
Slough has seven denominational primaries: five Catholic
and two Church of England. There are three denominational secondaries:
two Catholic and one Church of England. However, because of the
diversity of religious beliefs in Slough, many of the pupils attending
these schools are from other faiths. In addition, there are also
other community and Foundation Schools with a majority of students
from a particular faith, particularly Muslim majorities.
THE PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS BY RELIGIOUS FAITH IN SLOUGH
SCHOOLS
PROPORTION OF PUPILS OF DIFFERENT FAITH GROUPS IN SLOUGH
SCHOOLS (SOURCE PLASC JANUARY 2002 AND CENTRAL PUPIL DATABASE
NOVEMBER 2002)
|
| School | Other Christian
| Roman Catholic | Muslim
| Hindu | Sikh |
Other | Unclassified
|
|
| Non-denominational Primary Schools
|
| Castleview School | 18% | 0%
| 14% | 13% | 34%
| 4% | 16% |
| Cippenham Infant School | 53%
| 1% | 13% | 3%
| 8% | 11% | 11%
|
| Cippenham Junior School | 53%
| 3% | 12% | 4%
| 10% | 14% | 5%
|
| Claycots Primary | 45% | 2%
| 14% | 3% | 1%
| 8% | 27% |
| Foxborough Primary School | 43%
| 3% | 16% | 4%
| 7% | 13% | 14%
|
| Godolphin Infant School | 6% |
1% | 37% | 5% |
11% | 2% | 39% |
| James Elliman School | 15% |
2% | 44% | 5% |
10% | 6% | 19% |
| Lea Infant School | 10% | 1%
| 64% | 4% | 13%
| 4% | 4% |
| Lea Junior School | 10% | 1%
| 57% | 3% | 9%
| 3% | 17% |
| Lynch Hill School | 51% | 3%
| 7% | 0% | 1% |
8% | 29% |
| Marish Infant School/Nursery | 39%
| 4% | 11% | 4%
| 7% | 18% | 16%
|
| Marish Junior School | 48% |
3% | 12% | 5% |
9% | 17% | 6% |
| Montem Primary School | 12% |
2% | 58% | 4% |
7% | 4% | 13% |
| Parlaunt Park Primary School | 51%
| 1% | 2% | 1% |
9% | 17% | 19% |
| Pippins School | 49% | 3%
| 1% | 3% | 8% |
3% | 31% |
| Priory School | 4% | 1%
| 2% | 1% | 1% |
0% | 90% |
| Ryvers School | 30% | 1%
| 19% | 6% | 17%
| 9% | 17% |
| Thames Valley Infant School | 6%
| 4% | 74% | 2%
| 4% | 4% | 5% |
| The Godolphin Junior School | 12%
| 1% | 53% | 9%
| 18% | 4% | 3%
|
| The William Penn School | 11%
| 0% | 39% | 3%
| 4% | 4% | 38%
|
| Western House School | 30% |
1% | 9% | 2% | 7%
| 2% | 49% |
| Wexham Court Primary School | 35%
| 1% | 27% | 6%
| 10% | 5% | 16%
|
| All non-denominational primary schools
| 28% | 2% | 25%
| 4% | 9% | 7%
| 25% |
| | |
| | | |
| |
| Denominational Primary Schools
|
| Colnbrook CE Primary School | 49%
| 2% | 6% | 1% |
4% | 1% | 36% |
| St. Mary's CE Primary School | 26%
| 0% | 32% | 3%
| 6% | 9% | 25%
|
| Holy Family Catholic School | 2%
| 93% | 0% | 0%
| 0% | 0% | 5% |
| Our Lady of Peace Junior | 12%
| 80% | 2% | 1%
| 1% | 0% | 3% |
| Our Lady of Peace RC Infant | 8%
| 61% | 1% | 2%
| 1% | 0% | 27%
|
| St Anthony's Catholic Primary | 12%
| 79% | 0% | 0%
| 0% | 2% | 7% |
| St. Ethelbert's Catholic | 10%
| 48% | 2% | 1%
| 1% | 2% | 37%
|
| All denominational primary schools |
14% | 55% | 7%
| 1% | 2% | 2%
| 19% |
| | |
| | | |
| |
| Non-denominational Secondary Schools
|
| Baylis Court School | 12% |
1% | 56% | 3% |
8% | 3% | 17% |
| Beechwood School | 45% | 3%
| 7% | 3% | 5% |
25% | 13% |
| Herschel Grammar School | 14%
| 3% | 22% | 7%
| 13% | 2% | 41%
|
| Langley Grammar School | 28% |
3% | 6% | 15% |
23% | 11% | 15% |
| Langleywood School | 48% |
1% | 11% | 2% |
8% | 10% | 19% |
| Slough Grammar School | 22% |
3% | 22% | 11% |
21% | 5% | 15% |
| The Westgate School | 44% |
4% | 9% | 3% | 16%
| 7% | 17% |
| Wexham School | 29% | 0%
| 42% | 6% | 13%
| 7% | 2% |
| All non-denominational secondary schools
| 29% | 2% | 21%
| 7% | 15% | 8%
| 17% |
| | |
| | | |
| |
| Denominational Secondary Schools
|
| Slough and Eton CE School | 9%
| 1% | 73% | 1%
| 2% | 2% | 12%
|
| St Bernard's Convent School | 6%
| 81% | 0% | 0%
| 1% | 0% | 11%
|
| St Joseph's Catholic High School | 15%
| 77% | 1% | 0%
| 2% | 0% | 4% |
| All denominational secondary schools |
10% | 56% | 22%
| 1% | 2% | 1%
| 9% |
| | |
| | | |
| |
| Special Schools
|
| Arbour Vale School | 24% |
7% | 31% | 2% |
7% | 7% | 23% |
| Littledown School | 24% | 18%
| 0% | 0% | 0% |
0% | 59% |
| All special Schools | 24%
| 8% | 29% | 2%
| 6% | 7% | 25%
|
| All Slough Schools | 25% |
14% | 21% | 4% |
9% | 6% | 20% |
|
Ethnicity
THE SCHOOL POPULATION BY BROAD ETHNIC GROUP (SOURCE PLASC
JANUARY 2003)
There is a higher proportion of individuals from non-white
ethnic heritage in the school population than in the resident
population (54% compared to 36%). In particular, there is a higher
proportion of individuals of Asian heritage in the school population
(39%) than resident in Slough of all ages (26%), this may reflect
a younger ethnic minority population, larger families, and/or
school preferences.
THE SCHOOL POPULATION BY ETHNIC HERITAGE GROUP (SOURCE
PLASC JANUARY 2003)
|
| Ethnicity | % of secondary school pupils
| % of primary school pupils
| % of special school pupils
| % of all pupils in Slough
|
|
| White Heritage | |
| | |
| British | 43.3
| 39.5 | 49.0
| 41.8 |
| Irish | 0.7
| 1.7 | 0.0
| 1.1 |
| Traveller Of Irish Heritage | 0.1
| 0.0 | 0.0
| 0.0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.6
| 0.3 | 0.0
| 0.4 |
| Any Other White Background | 2.7
| 2.7 | 7.7
| 2.8 |
| White Total | 47.4
| 44.1 | 56.8
| 46.2 |
| Mixed Heritage | |
| | |
| White And Black Caribbean | 2.6
| 1.9 | 1.2
| 2.3 |
| White And Black African | 0.4
| 0.3 | 0.0
| 0.4 |
| White And Asian | 1.9
| 1.8 | 0.0
| 1.8 |
| Any Other Mixed Background | 1.3
| 1.2 | 0.4
| 1.3 |
| Mixed Total | 6.3
| 5.2 | 1.5
| 5.8 |
| Asian or Asian British Heritage |
| | |
|
| Indian | 13.7
| 19.3 | 8.1
| 15.9 |
| Pakistani | 20.8
| 20.1 | 30.1
| 20.6 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.3
| 0.3 | 0.0
| 0.3 |
| Any Other Asian Background | 2.3
| 2.7 | 0.8
| 2.4 |
| Asian Total | 37.1
| 42.4 | 39.0
| 39.3 |
| Black or Black British Heritage |
| | |
|
| Caribbean | 2.1
| 1.8 | 1.2
| 1.9 |
| African | 3.4
| 2.5 | 0.8
| 3.0 |
| Any Other Black Background | 0.9
| 0.4 | 0.0
| 0.6 |
| Black Total | 6.3
| 4.7 | 1.9
| 5.5 |
| Other Heritage | |
| | |
| Chinese | 0.2
| 0.5 | 0.0
| 0.3 |
| Any Other Ethnic Background | 1.4
| 1.6 | 0.8
| 1.5 |
| Not Recorded | 1.4
| 1.5 | 0.0
| 1.4 |
| Other Total | 3.0
| 3.6 | 0.8
| 3.2 |
|
Gender
The total school population comprises 49% female and 51%
male. There is one single sex secondary school for girls in the
borough (Baylis Court School) all other schools are mixed. Whilst
offering diversity and choice, the existence of the girl's schools
impacts on other non-selective secondary schools, leading to a
disproportionate number of boys in other schools. The intake of
Slough and Eton and Beechwood Secondaries is currently around
two-thirds male. Historically, the girl's school has particularly
tended to attract a high percentage of Muslim girls.
SEN Units or Special Classes
In total one in five children in Slough (3,825) are identified
through the SEN code of practice as having some form of Special
Educational Needs. Overall 1% of primary pupils and 1.9% of secondary
pupils are educated in special schools, this is in line with national
averages. A minority of pupils attend out of borough special schools
or other out of borough provision.
PUPILS WITH SEN BY GENDER AND ETHNICITY
|
| | SEN not-
statemented
| SEN—
statemented
| All SEN | All pupils
|
|
| Gender | Male
| 62.0% | 68.5%
| 63.0% | 50.5%
|
| Female |
38.0% | 31.5%
| 37.0% | 49.5%
|
| Ethnicity | White
| 53.3% | 52.9%
| 53.2% | 46.2%
|
| Black |
6.2% | 4.0%
| 5.8% | 5.5%
|
| Indian |
7.8% | 8.2%
| 7.9% | 15.9%
|
| Pakistani
| 22.9% | 27.5%
| 23.6% | 20.6%
|
| Other Asian
| 1.4% | 1.2%
| 1.4% | 2.7%
|
| Other heritage
| 7.0% | 4.8%
| 6.6% | 7.6%
|
| Not known
| 1.5% | 1.5%
| 1.5% | 1.4%
|
|
| Source: PLASC, January 2003
|
SPECIAL SCHOOLS, SEN UNITS, AND SEN RESOURCES IN SLOUGH
|
| School | Type of provision
| Age range of provision | Type of need
| Number of places | Occupancy (May 2003)
|
|
| Arbour Vale School | Special School
| 2-19 | Moderate—severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, other low frequency/high complexity difficulties, eg autism
| 240 | 245 |
| Littledown School | Special School
| | Emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
| 32 | 19 |
| Cippenham Junior School | Primary SchoolResource
| 7-11 | Specific learning difficulties
| n/a | n/a |
| Ryvers Primary Schools | Primary School Resource
| 3-11 | Autistic Spectrum Disorder
| 6 | 6 |
| Beechwood School | Secondary School Resource
| 11-15 | Specific learning difficulties
| 15 | 18 |
| Chalvey Early Years Centre | Assessment Unit/Nursery
| 2-4 | Assessment Unit for Mild-moderate communication and learning difficulties
| 10 | 8 |
| Priory | Resource | 3-11
| Physical, sensory and/or medical difficulties
| 45 | 28 |
| The Westgate School | Resource
| 11-15 | Physical and/or medical difficulties
| | To be opened Sept 2003 |
| Foxborough | Hearing Impairment Resource
| 3-11 | Hearing Impairment |
10 | 7 |
| Langleywood School | Hearing Impairment Resource
| 11-15 | Hearing Impairment |
5 | 3 |
| St Ethelbert's School | Speech and
Language Resource
| 3-11 | Speech and Language Difficulties
| 15 | 15 |
| Colnbrook School | Resource |
3-11 | Moderate Learning Difficulities
| 15 | 18 |
| Wexham Secondary School | Resource
| 11-15 | Autistic Spectrum Disorder
| 12 | 5 |
| Non-selective schools | In School Learning Support Unit
| 11-15 | In school centre for disaffected young people
| | |
| Wexham Park Hospital/Teaching and Support Services (TASS)
| Hospital Unit | All ages |
Provision while receiving short term medical care
| n/a | n/a |
|
THE PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS AT EACH STAGE OF THE SEN CODE
OF PRACTICE IN SLOUGH MAINTAINED SCHOOLS
|
| SEN Code of practice | % of secondary
school pupils
| % of primary school
pupils
| % of special school
pupils
| % of all Slough
pupils
|
|
| School Action | 10
| 12 | 0
| 11 |
| School Action Plus | 5
| 5 | 0
| 5 |
| Referral | 1
| 0.2 | 2
| 0.6 |
| Statemented | 2
| 1.5 | 98
| 3 |
| No SEN | 82
| 81 | 0
| 80 |
|
702 pupils have a statement of SEN.
1
Excludes London. Back
2
OfSTED, Inspection of Slough Local Education Authority, May 2001. Back
3
Learning and Skills Council, Berkshire Profile, February 2003. Back
4
Business Needs Survey 2001. Back
| 
