Browse

Decision details

CS-01-18: Statutory Notice for the enlargement of Lea and Garsdon CE Primary School, Lea, Wiltshire, SN16 9PG

Decision Maker: Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Skills

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

To ask the Cabinet Member to approve the statutory proposal published by Wiltshire Council and the governing body of Lea and Garsdon CE Primary School on 9th November 2017. The notice proposes the enlargement of the school to provide a 1 Form of Entry (1FE), 210 place primary school and to permanently increase the Planned Admission Number (PAN) to 30 with effect from September 2019 (subject to planning approval).

Decision:

This decision was published on 29 January 2018 and will come into force on 6 February 2018

 

Reasons for the decision:

The LA has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places across Wiltshire and projections indicate a need for an additional 0.5 Form of Entry (up to 120 places) in the Malmesbury locality. Option 1 being the expansion of Lea and Garsdon CE Primary School on its existing site is the best alternative solution to providing the required places in a timely way.

If a larger number of school places were to be provided in Malmesbury, then this is likely to have an adverse impact on the viability of some of the smaller rural schools in the locality.

Alternative options considered:

In February 2015, the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan was published and indicated the proposed expansion of Malmesbury CE Primary School as a way to provide additional primary school places in the town. Malmesbury CE Primary is a popular and successful 2FE academy.

 

The LA confirmed that there was a projected demand for a 0.5 Form of Entry (up to 120 additional places) and that the Council would secure the resources to provide the places required. Discussions with the school commenced in 2015 regarding the proposed expansion by 0.5FE, however despite numerous meetings and discussions over a period of 2 years, to try and find a solution regarding the expansion, Malmesbury CE Primary School, which is an academy, made the decision that the school was not prepared to expand by just a 0.5 Form of Entry (FE). 

 

In view of the decision taken by Malmesbury Primary School, that they are not prepared to expand by the 0.5 FE required to meet demand in the area, it was agreed that the LA would investigate alternative options to establish the best way of providing the additional places required for the Malmesbury locality, within the resources available. No other primary schools in Malmesbury town can be expanded to provide the places, so options included

 

  • Option 1 - the expansion of Lea and Garsdon CE Primary School
  • Option 2 – the expansion and relocation of Lea and Garsdon CE Primary onto the new Filands school site in new build (disposing of old site and using proceeds)
  • Option 3 - the possibility of a new Free School on the Filands site.

 

Feasibility and impact work including the provision of cost estimates has been undertaken on each of the options. More detail on the options is available in the main report.

 

Option 1 being the expansion of Lea and Garsdon CE Primary School on its existing site, is the preferred solution.

 

Other reasons / organisations consulted

A period of consultation with a range of stakeholders took place from 4th July 2017 ending on 15th September 2017 and preceded the publication of the statutory proposals on 9th November 2017. The Public Notice period of four weeks ended on 7th December 2017.

 

The majority of responses to the informal consultation (92%) were positive, however concern was raised by some in regard to improving accommodation and the current car-parking and bus drop-off arrangements at the school. These matters will be considered further and dealt with as part of the planning process. There were 7 objections to the Statutory Notice received, including those from Malmesbury CE Primary School and Malmesbury Town Council.

 

Contact: Clare Medland, Head of School Place Commissioning Email: clare.medland@wiltshire.gov.uk 01225 713966 Email: clare.medland@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Publication date: 19/01/2018

Date of decision: 29/01/2018

Effective from: 06/02/2018

Accompanying Documents: