Issue - meetings

To approve consultation on the proposed expansion of Pebble Brook Primary School, Wheelock Primary School and Mobberley CE Primary School.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services considered a report on the proposed expansion of Pebble Brook Primary School, Wheelock Primary School and Mobberley CE Primary School.

As the Strategic Commissioner of School Places, the Local Authority had a statutory duty to review provision within its area and to establish future demand.

Pupil forecasts indicated a shortfall in the number of primary school places due to changing populations and increasing demand in some areas of the Borough resulting in a forecast of only 8 spaces across all year groups and all primary schools by 2017. Proposals were therefore being made for the Sandbach, Crewe and Knutsford areas of the Borough to expand existing accommodation to meet this increasing demand and to ensure a level of operational surplus which is a level of spare capacity intended to accommodate reasonable journey times to school, some degree of parental choice, and flexibility to allow for mid-year entrants.

Officers had considered a number of issues, including the number of pupils in each school’s catchment area, the number of first preferences received for each school, the current size of the school together with the school sites and those suitable for expansion and the likely costs of extension. Suitable schools needed to be central to the areas where the extra places were required.

The decision on the proposal would be subject to the completion of an  Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA), which would be presented to the Portfolio Holder prior to any decision.

RESOLVED

That permission be granted for officers to commence statutory consultation on the proposed expansion of the following schools:

Pebble Brook Primary to expand the school from 210 to 315 pupil places (from 1 form of entry to 1.5 forms of entry) with a proposed completion date of September 2013;

Wheelock Primary to expand the school from 210 to 315 pupil places (from 1 form of entry to 1.5 forms of entry)  with a proposed completion date of September 2013; and

Mobberley CE Primary to expand the school from 140 to 210 pupil places (from an intake of 20 pupils to 30 pupils) and creating a 1 form of entry primary school) with a proposed completion date of September 2013.