Ensures an appropriate match between pupil numbers and school places including the identification of the need for new schools and changes to existing provision; the timely admission of children to school; and secures sufficient and suitable childcare places and pupils' access to home to school transport, where appropriate.

In addition, it has responsibility for the planning and delivery of children's centres and the extended schools programme, and for planning and implementing rolling programme of circa £20m for investment in the improvement and maintenance of school buildings and educational facilities. This includes identifying and where possible securing capital funding, from for example, government and housing developers in the form of S106 contributions.