Decision details

Requesting approval and authorisation to proceed with three schools capital projects at Freshford Primary, Longvernal Primary and St Nicholas Primary to expand and enhance existing school accommodation.

The Cabinet Member gives full approval:

1.  To spend £32,429.08 S106 contributions secured and received from the Pipehouse Nursery Housing Development to expand and enhance current education facilities at Freshford CofE Primary School.

2.  To spend £70,000 S106 contributions secured and received from Inglenook, Primrose land and Alacan Housing Developments to provide bulge class accommodation at Longvernal Primary School.

3.  To spend £50,000 Basic Need Grant to provide an additional classroom space at St Nicholas CofE Primary School.

The Council retains the legal responsibility for pupil place planning in its area and in order to do this effectively must find solutions for the delivery of additional school places where required.

S106 Developer Contributions received are to enhance or expand primary school provision in the area (Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Freshford).

Basic Need grant funding is made available to local authorities to address the issue of population growth, enabling them to provide additional school places.

The Primary and Secondary School Organisation Plan 2015-19 (SOP) indicates the Council’s Educational Strategies and Criteria for provision of new school places as a result of new housing development or underlying population growth.

Longvernal Primary School has agreed to take a bulge class for September 2017 and is part of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership who are the proposer of the Midsomer Norton Free School (currently deferred until an appropriate site is established).

St Nicholas CofE Primary School was selected for expansion due to the school’s proximity to the new housing developments.

The SOP states “Where possible existing schools should be expanded.”

There are insufficient school places in the Radstock area to accommodate the children generated by the housing developments and the underlying population growth.

To aid parental preference as stated in the SOP and to facilitate sustainable methods of transport to school and keep home to school transport costs to a minimum.

No other options were considered at Freshford Primary School as it is the nearest school to the housing development which has provided the S106 capital contribution for primary provision in the area.

No other options were considered at St Nicholas CofE Primary School as the expansion of school is required due to pupils generated from housing development adjacent to the school and in the locality.

No other options were considered at Longvernal Primary School as the School agreed to take the bulge class and is in the area of need where pupil numbers are increasing due to housing development.