DfE Net Capacity Assessment Programme 2023-25

Published: 8 June 2023

Derby City Council currently hold net capacity information for all maintained primary and secondary schools in Derby. The Schools’ Capital team has received the following notification from the Department of Education about a programme of Net Capacity Assessments that they will be carrying out, using a new Net Capacity Assessment form. This is a summary of the information that they have provided:

THE NET CAPACITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME 2023-25: INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

The DfE have confirmed that following a successful pilot they have received final approval for the Net Capacity Assessment (NCA) Programme to commence later this year.

The proposed NCA programme is planned to run for 2 years from summer 2023 and will be delivered through site visits by a Data Collection Organisation (DCO) to approximately 4,500 schools in England. These will include:

• All secondary schools (including all-through and middle schools), and
• All special schools

The Data Collection Organisation will use the department’s updated Net Capacity Assessment (NCA) tool and methodology to calculate the number of children a school can accommodate, based upon the size and use of spaces available. Local authorities will receive a copy of the NCA reports for all secondary and special schools in their area.

The DfE can also confirm that they will be working in partnership with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) who will act as the Data Collection Organisation (DCO). The VOA is the public sector’s property valuation expert, with extensive relevant experience and the required specialist skills and capacity to deliver a data collection of this nature. They are also easily able to provide full geographic coverage with property assessors based in more than 30 regional offices.

The DfE plan to make further information available in June this year, including a more detailed Programme Guide, and confirmation of the proposed tranches of school visits over the next two years, roughly equivalent to school terms. The initial tranches for Derby schools (subject to change) are as follows:

Tranche 1
St Clare’s School
St Martins School

Tranche 2
Ivy House School
Lees Brook Academy
Murray Park School

Tranche 3
The Kingsmead School
St Andrew’s Academy
St Giles’ Spencer Academy

Tranche 4
Alvaston Moor Academy
Derby Moor Spencer Academy
Noel-Baker Academy
UTC Derby Pride Park

Tranche 5
Allestree Woodlands School
The Bemrose School
City of Derby Academy
Da Vinci Academy
Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy
West Park School

Tranche 6
Chellaston Academy
Derby Cathedral School
Landau Forte College
Littleover Community School

Please could schools look out for any correspondence from the VOA about the updated Net Capacity Assessment. We have no further details at this stage, but more information will follow directly from the DfE and VOA in due course.

For more information contact Helen Zwart

Email: helen.zwart@derby.gov.uk

Telephone Number: 01332 642723

Education