Mrs Lindsey Wharmby
Chair of Governor’s Ilkley Grammar School
23rd March 2016
Dear Mrs Wharmby
We write to you as District and Parish Councillors for Burley in Wharfedale and Menston. We are concerned that the need for school places for children in our two villages will increase significantly as Bradford Council allocates more houses for our area when the Inspector reports this year. The two villages will be obliged to accommodate the houses in our Neighbourhood Plans.
We would ask you to share with us your plans on how you might accommodate the extra demand for school places. We note that you recently announced your intention to increase places at Ilkley Grammar to take into account children already in the system, however, since then the Greenholme Mills site in Burley in Wharfedale has been granted planning permission and officers said this is likely to generate the need for a further 9 secondary school places.
Indicative housing numbers: Ilkley 1000, Burley in Wharfedale 700, Menston 600, Addingham 400.
Children from our areas also attend Guiseley School and Prince Henrys but Leeds is also expanding it’s housing quotas in this area and our fear is that our children may have difficulty obtaining school places at either school in the longer term. We would appreciate your thoughts on this issue.
Yours sincerely
Jackie Whiteley District Councillor
Dale SmithDistrict Councillor
Gerry BarkerDistrict Councillor
John Grimshaw Chair of Burley in Wharfedale Parish Council
Peter Finlay Chair of Menston Parish Council
Reply from Ilkley Grammar School
Dear Councillor Whiteley
Here is a slightly longer response but, as yet, no detailed plans.
There are two separate issues, both of which will become clearer in the next few months!
I understand that the Council will be considering the Core Strategy proposals shortly and once the Core strategy is agreed we will have a clearer steer on likely demand over the next 5 -15 years.
Meanwhile the government policy announced in the Budget whereby all schools will become Academies, working together in Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) will become clearer. As I am sure you are aware, even within this changed system, Bradford Council will retain the responsibility for ensuring sufficient school places.
IGS is continuing to work closely with Bradford and the RSC (Regional Schools Commisioner) on medium and long term planning within this rapidly evolving scene. I am pleased to say that, yet again, we have been able to provide places for all our Priority 1 pupils for September 2016. We will ensure that everyone in our community is kept informed as soon as possible but it is a very fluid situation, both locally and nationally.
Yours sincerely
Lindsey Wharmby
Chair of Governors Ilkley Grammar School