Consultation on proposals to provide additional primary places at Park Prewett, Rooksdown, Basingstoke
Consultation period runs from 10 June to 22 July 2013
Summary
Hampshire County Council would like to hear your views about how we should provideadditional primary places in Park Prewett, Rooksdown,Basingstoke.
The County Council invites you to make your views known about the way forward to provide the best possible educational opportunities for children who will be living in the Park Prewett, Rooksdown area. Ultimately the decision that the County Council makes will be guided by what is best overall for children and most likely to achieve the best educational outcomes possible.
The Park Prewett, Rooksdown area has seen significant new housing development in recent yearswith development of 1,300 dwellings coming to completion shortly. Other housing sites identified in the locality could see a further 1,000 dwellings being built subject to planning permission being obtained. A primary school site of 2 hectares was reserved as part of the original planning approval for development enabling up to 420 new primary school places to be provided.
It is proposed that additional primary school places will be provided to meet the expected demand by constructingnew primary school provisionon the school site reserved on the Park Prewett development.
This consultation relates to the governance and school organisation for the additional primary provision of up to two forms of entry (420 places). There are four options
- Option A: Primary provision as part of CastleHillJuniorSchool
This would create new primary school places (up to 420 places) on the new school site with the provision being managed by the Headteacher and Governors of the existing CastleHillJuniorSchool.
- Option B: The creation of a new stand alone primary school
Create a new stand alone primary school of up to 420 places on theschool site reserved on the development.
- Option C: Primary provision as part of Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege
This would create new primary places (up to 420) on the reserved school site with the new primary provision being managed by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the existing Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege
- Option D: Alternative Proposals
There may be other options identified during the consultation process. Any such options will form part of the report on the outcome of the consultations.
The attached map shows the location of the schools and the site for the new primary provision. The options, as outlined above, are set out in further detail below including issues to consider. The frequently asked questions section includes information around catchment changes, traffic issuesetc.
Aconsultation meeting/drop-in session to discuss the proposals will be held on 24 June 2013 at FortHillCommunitySchool from3:00pm till 6:00pm. County Council officers will make a brief presentation at 3:00pm and this will be repeated at 5:00pm.
If you have any queries on this consultation please contact:
Glenn Parkinson School Organisation Officer; Children’s Services Department Elizabeth II Court; Hampshire County Council, Winchester SO23 8UG
Email:
Telephone: 01962 846664
How can I make my views known?
At the consultation meeting/drop-in session to which governors, parents, staff and other interested members of the community are invited.This will be held at FortHillCommunitySchoolon 24 June 2013from3:00 pm till 6:00 pm. At the meeting you will have the opportunity to hearCounty Council officers explain the reasons for the proposal and the process and timescales to be followed, but most importantly they will want to hear your views.
We will listen to views at the consultation event. We will also consider all written responses to the consultation. We urge you to make your views known on the response form, preferably electronically or a hard copy is available from Glenn Parkinson whose contact details are given above.
You can also respond by visiting the following website.
Background and supplementary detail
The need for additional primary school places
The housing development at Park Prewett, Rooksdown, which is due to complete in 2014/15, together with proposed further housing on the former golf course site will result in a significant level of development in this area which requires the provision of additional primary school places.
It is proposed that the new primary provision would be available for September 2015. Whilst it is intended that 420 primary places will be provided to accommodate all the anticipated additional pupils it is likely the school will open initially as one form of entry providing 210 places admitting 30 pupils per year group.
When the new provision is fully established all the options will result in a new build primary provision of up to 60 places per year group (420 places in total).
The options and some issues to consider
Option A: Primary provision as part of CastleHillJuniorSchool
Under this option, the age range of Castle Hill Junior School would be altered from its present 7-11 to a 4-11 age range, with admissions to the school at 4+ (Reception year / Year R) and 7+ (Year 3). CastleHillJuniorSchool would then be responsible for both junior and primary provision with the primary provision located on the new primaryschool site in Rooksdown. The primary provision would admit up to 60 reception pupils a year with eventual provision for up to 420 children, albeit it is likely the school will provide up to 30 places per year group initially.
With effect from September 2015, CastleHillJuniorSchoolwill become a primary school withtwo Published Admission Numbers (PAN): a Published Admission Number relating to admission to Year R (4+) and the current junior PAN at 7+.
Option A: Some issues to consider
- New primary provision for up to 420 pupils on the Park Prewett, Rooksdown site.
- Primary places provided locally to meet the demand from the Park Prewett, Rooksdown development.
- Potential economies of scale around school administration, governance, leadership and facilities thus leaving additional resource available for investment in teaching and materials.
- Established high quality leadership from an outstanding school.
- There would be a need to review catchment areas for primary schools in the locality.
Option B: The creation of a new, stand alone primary school
This would involve the creation of a new primary school of up to 420 places on the school site identified on Park Prewett, Rooksdown. This would be subject to the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on establishing a new school, which presumes that any new school would be an academy or free school. Potential sponsors would be invited to submit proposals to Hampshire County Council for the establishment of a new academy. The County Council will assess any proposals received and make a recommendation, in line with DfE guidance, of a preferred bidder to the Secretary of State for Education for his consideration and final decision. The successful proposer would then work with the County Council to deliver the new primary school.
Option B: Some issues to consider
- A new academy primary school for up to 420 pupils on the Park Prewett, Rooksdown site.
- Primary places provided locally to meet the demand from the Park Prewett development.
- There would be a need to review catchment areas for primary schools in the locality.
- The school would not be maintained by Hampshire County Council but would receive its funding directly from central government.
Option C: Primary provision as part of Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege
Under this option the age range of Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege would be altered from its present 11-16 age range to 4-16 creating an “all through” school on 2 separate sites. Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege would then be responsible for both primary and secondary provision with the primary provision located on the reserved site on Rooksdown. The primary provision would eventually admit up to 60 pupils per year group (420 in total) but will likely provide for up to 210 pupils initially (30 pupils per year group).
Were this to be the preferred option then Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College would have two Published Admission Numbers, one for reception year (4+) and one for year 7 (11+).
Option C: Some issues to consider
- New primary provision for up to 420 places on the Park Prewett development.
- Primary places provided locally to meet the demand from the Park Prewett development.
- There would be a need to review catchment areas for primary and secondary schools in the locality
- 4-16 schooling with parental choice over whether to change schools at 11 or stay at Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege
- Potential economies of scale around school administration, governance, leadership and facilities thus leaving additional resource available for investment in teaching and materials.
- Opportunities for early support and intervention provided by all-through schooling.
- Access to subject specialist teaching particularly for years 5 and 6.
- Access to specialist facilities on the Cranbourne site such as performing arts and sport.
- If pupils decide to stay in the school at age 11, then potentially there would be fewer transition issues – the point at which many pupils show a ‘dip’ in achievement.
- The relatively ‘rare’ concept of 4-16 schooling in the maintained sector – and therefore a lack of studies into its success or otherwise.
- The expertise within the staff and governing body would need to be expanded to cover the primary phase. Staffing structures would be the responsibility of the governing body
Option D: Alternative proposals
There may be other options identified by groups and/or individuals during the consultationprocess. If viable alternative options come forward, then they will form part of the reporton the outcome of consultations. There are various constraints around any options that proposers need to take into account:
- Cost: Funding has been identified to provide a new primary building on the Park Prewett site. Any other options considered must remain within the cost estimate associated with the new primary provision.
- Location:Any school places provided would need to be as close as possible to where the pupils who will be needing the places live i.e. on the Park Prewett development.
Frequently asked questions including catchment areas and traffic
Will there be changes to primary schools’ catchment areas?
Whatever option is chosen there will be a need to create a catchment area for the new primary provision.A separate consultation will be undertaken on this.
Will there be changes to secondary school catchment areas?
If Option C is chosen then a review of the local schools’ catchment areas will need to be undertaken.
What about traffic?
The new primary places will be located on a new primary school site reserved on the Park Prewett, Rooksdown development close to new and proposed housing. By planning to create school places as close as possible to where children live we create the best chances that those children will make their way to school other than by car.
The provision of cycleways and footpaths to provide access to community facilities such as schools will be considered as part of the overall urban design of any new housing sites that come forward, to encourage people to walk and cycle to access such facilities. The school site is located adjacent to the Rooksdown Community Centre.
Detailed work will be undertaken on producing a school travel plan involving the whole school community and any other interested parties. Such a plan looks at how pupils, staff and visitors travel to and from school, and sets out measures to:
- encourage and enable students, parents, guardians and staff to walk and cycle
- encourage and enable children, parents, guardians and staff to use bus and train services
- encourage and provide educational programmes relating to child travel and how this links to the environment, safety and health
- improve safety
What happens after this consultation?
This consultation will run until 22 July 2013. Officers will then prepare a report which will take into consideration all the consultation responses, set out the issues and make a recommendation to the Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services at his decision day in October 2013. Depending on the outcome various things will happen:
- If Option A is chosen we will publish Statutory Notices to change CastleHillJuniorSchool’s status
- If Option B is chosen we will publish proposals for the new primary school and invite expressions of interest from potential sponsors of the new AcademySchool.
- If Option C is chosen we will publish Statutory Notices to change The Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollegestatus
Will I have the opportunity to discuss the proposal and ask questions?
Yes. A drop-in session for governors, parents, staff and other interested members of the community will be held at FortHillCommunitySchool on 24 June 2013 from 3:00pm. till 6:00pm.County Council officers will make a brief presentation at 3:00pm which will berepeated at 5:00pm.Officers will be available to answer any questions you may have.
This page has been intentionally left blank
Consultation response form
Consultation on the proposal to provide additional primary places in Park Prewett
Public consultation 10 June to 22 July 2013
Hampshire County Council would like to hear your views about how we should provide additional primary places in Park Prewett, Rooksdown, Basingstoke. The County Council invites you to make your views known about the way forward to provide the best possible educational opportunities for children who will be living in the Park Prewett, Rooksdown area. Ultimately the decision that the County Council makes will be guided by what is best overall for children and most likely to achieve the best educational outcomes possible.
A primary school site of 2 hectares was reserved as part of the original planning approval for the development enabling up to 420 new primary school places to be provided.
It is proposed that additional primary school places will be provided to meet the expected demand by constructing new primary school provision on the school site reserved on the Park Prewett development.
This consultation relates to the governance and school organisation for the additional primary provision of up to two forms of entry (420 places). There are four options set out below.
Responding to the consultation is entirely voluntary. If you would like to respond, please read the supporting information on our web page at:
All responses to this consultation will be treated as confidential. This means that when the results are reported, we may quote what you have told us but you will not be identified. The responses will be kept for one year.
The consultation results, and analysis of the findings, will be published and taken into consideration by the Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services at his decision day in January 2014.
In order to complete the survey, you must tick one of the four options set out below (please select one option only):
* Which is your preferred option for primary places in Park Prewett?
Option A – Primary provision as part of CastleHillJuniorSchool
This would create new primary school places (up to 420 places) on the new school site with the provision being managed by the Headteacher and Governors of the existing CastleHillJuniorSchool
Option B – The creation of a new stand alone primary school
This would create a new stand alone primary school of up to 420 places on the school site reserved on the development with the provision managed by a sponsor.
Option C – Primary provision as part of Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege
This would create new primary places (up to 420) on the reserved school site with the provision being managed by the Headteacher and Governing Body of the existing Cranbourne Business and EnterpriseCollege
Option D –Alternative Proposals
There may be other options identified during the consultation process. Any such options will form part of the report on the outcome of the consultations.
If you selected Option D, please provide further information below. (Please continue on a separate sheet if required).
Please provide any further comments below. (Please continue on another sheet if required).
*This question requires an answer.
Which of the following best describes your connection with the schools? (Please tick one only which should be your main interest).
Parent of child of school age
Member of school staff
School governor
Headteacher
Parent of pre-school aged child
Member of the community
Other (please state):
Please submit this form electronically to orto the address below:
Glenn Parkinson
School Organisation Officer
Elizabeth II Court
Children’s Services Department
Hampshire County Council
The Castle
Winchester
SO23 8UG
Page 1 of 10