Consultation on School Catchment Area Changes in relation to new housing at Blandford House and Malta Barracks, Aldershot, Rushmoor

This consultation takes place between Monday 3 June and 11:59pm Monday 1 July 2024.

Hampshire County Council is reviewing and consulting upon the school catchments in the area of the schools listed above to take account of the planned Blandford House and Malta Barracks new housing development of up to 180 dwellings, Shoe Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire (Rushmoor Borough Council planning ref: 17/00914/OUTPP). Discussions are taking place with the schools about the proposed changes to the schools’ catchment areas.

Consultation on admissions priority for children living in new housing developments at Blandford House and Malta Barracks

This new housing development (Blandford House and Malta Barracks) currently sits across multiple catchment areas for both the primary and secondary school phases. Currently the west side of the development sits within the catchment areas of Southwood Infant School, Cove Junior School and Guillemont Junior School as a shared catchment area and Cove School for secondary school admissions. The east side of the development sits within the catchment areas for Marlborough Infant School, Talavera Junior School, The Wavell School and Alderwood School.

Please follow the link below for maps showing the current catchment areas:

Infant
Junior
Secondary

It is proposed that an amendment is made to the current arrangements with the new housing at Blandford House and Malta Barracks being incorporated fully into the catchment areas of Marlborough Infant School and Talavera Junior School for primary school admissions, and The Wavell School for secondary school admissions.

Please follow the link below for maps showing the proposed catchment areas:

Infant
Junior
Secondary

Admissions arrangements

This proposal, if approved, removes the area shown on the map from the catchment of Southwood Infant School, Cove Junior School and Guillemont Junior School for primary school admissions and Cove School and Alderwood School for secondary school admissions and includes them within the catchment area of Marlborough Infant School and Talavera Junior School for primary school admissions, and The Wavell School for secondary school; any children living in the new housing within the Blandford House and Malta Barracks Development Site and in a small number of existing houses within the development will be part of the new catchment arrangements from September 2026.

For families in the affected area with children already in Southwood Infant School, Cove Junior School and Guillemont Junior School, Alderwood School and Cove School the following transitional arrangement will be put in place:

1. Transitional arrangements for Southwood Infant School - Children starting school for the first time who have a sibling on roll at Southwood Infant School, Cove Junior School or Guillemont Junior (who was on roll prior to the catchment change and who will still be attending the school at the time of the younger child’s admission), will be given catchment priority for Southwood Infant School, for up to and including admission in September 2029.
2. Transitional arrangements for Cove Junior School or Guillemont Junior School - Children starting junior school for the first time who have a sibling on roll at Cove Junior School, Guillemont Junior School or Southwood Infant School (who was on roll prior to the catchment change and who will still be attending the school at the time of the younger child’s admission), will be given catchment priority for Cove Junior School or Guillemont Junior School, for up to and including admission in September 2029.
3. Transitional arrangements for Alderwood School or Cove School - Children starting secondary school for the first time who have a sibling on roll at Alderwood School or Cove School (who was on roll prior to the catchment change and who will still be attending the school at the time of the younger child’s admission), will be given catchment priority for Alderwood School or Cove School, for up to and including admission in September 2029.

It is therefore proposed that the catchment boundaries be redrawn for school admissions from September 2026 onwards.

Further information

Any comments on these proposals should be sent to Rebecca Prowting, Strategic Development Officer, Children’s Services Department, Hampshire County Council, Elizabeth II Court North, The Castle, Winchester, SO23 8UG or by email to [email protected] no later than 1 July 2024.

Any comments received will be considered as part of the statutory consultation on admission arrangements which takes place late October/ early November 2024 (exact dates to be confirmed). A final decision which takes account of the statutory admissions consultation will be made by the Executive Member for Education on 12 February 2025.