Archived decisions

Contact: Chris Holt Ext. 5673

1. Introduction

1.1. This paper describes the background to a review of primary school provision in south west Basingstoke. This review comes about because of the fire at Beech Down Primary School last year. At the time of the fire the school had 241 pupils on roll against a capacity of 300; in September 2001 there were 205 children at the school. The County Council standard forecasting model shows that the number on roll in January 2006 is expected to be 145.

1.2. At the moment the school is operating in temporary buildings on its original site. This paper sets out for discussion the following possible options to be considered:

· rebuild Beech Down Primary school on its current site at its current 300-place size.

· rebuild Beech Down school on its current site with reduced capacity for 210 places (1 form of entry)

· do not rebuild Beech Down but increase capacity at the Manor Field and Chalk Ridge schools to accommodate pupils of Beech Down.

· rebuild Beech Down as a 210 place school on the Beggarwood Lane development in response to likely future demand for places.

· do not rebuild Beech Down but increase the present 420 place capacity at St Mark's CE Primary School to 630 places in response to likely future demand for places.

· do not rebuild or replace Beech Down school.

NB Beech Down Primary School will continue to operate in its present capacity until the way forward has been agreed and future arrangements are in place.

2. Primary school provision in the Basingstoke Town planning area.

2.1 There are 43 primary schools in the Basingstoke Town planning area which need to be taken account of when we consider the balance of supply and demand for primary schools. This extended area is used for strategic planning purposes in the County Council's School Organisation Plan. The current surplus primary school places in the area, based on the January 2001 number on roll returns and on Small Area Population Forecasts (SAPF) data, amount to 921 (9%), and are forecast to fall to 755 (7%) by January 2006.

2.2 The town of Basingstoke is in an area that has seen considerable development in the recent past and there are six more significant new developments planned. New housing is the reason for an overall increase in the number of primary age children. There are also a significant number of established/mature housing estates on which the number of primary age pupils is steady or decreasing.

3 Early Years provision in the Basingstoke Town planning area.

The County Council's Early Education and Childcare Unit is working in close partnership with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and with other partners, in seeking to expand current provision. Whilst this work is ongoing they will take every opportunity, which may arise as a result of potential changes to the pattern of primary school provision in south-west Basingstoke, to expand and enhance early years provision.

4 The resourced provision for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties at Beech Down Primary School.

4.1 Beech Down Primary school is currently resourced to provide 7 places for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and the high quality provision which the school presently offers will need to be maintained. Pupils spend the majority of their time at the school integrated in classes but provision needs to be made to enable small group teaching to take place and to house any specialist resources required. Whatever the way forward regarding the future of Beech Down School, accommodation will need to continue to be provided in the same area and on one site for these pupils

5 Primary Provision within two miles of Beech Down Primary School

5.1 The table below shows the analysis of all primary places in schools within two miles of Beech Down Primary (see Map 1). There are 569 surplus places, forecast to rise to 691 when compared with schools' capacities. Beech Down Primary is providing 300 of the 6125 places available in the area.

6.2.1 In considering all schools within two miles we are following guidelines laid down by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to determine the need for primary provision in the local area. The calculation for Beech Down Primary includes schools that have significant surplus places. However, many of these schools are a long walk from the Beech Down area and would require pupils and parents to cross one or more busy main roads.

6 Primary provision in South West Basingstoke

6.1 See Map 2. The map shows the south west area of Basingstoke that includes Beech Down Primary. This encompasses the Brighton Hill estate and the newer developments of Hatch Warren and Beggarwood Lane. Beech Down has a geographically small catchment area so current in-catchment Beech Down pupils have a short walk to school (typically less than half a mile). There are a number of neighbouring schools: Chalk Ridge Primary, Manor Field Junior and Manor Field Infant, Hatch Warren Junior and Hatch Warren Infant.

6.2 The table below shows a summary of primary places in the defined local

area.

The analysis shows that prior to the fire at Beech Down there was a surplus of 230 places in the area and in five years time the surplus is forecast to be 149. Forecasts show that the surplus will be 266 places in the Manor Field, Chalk Ridge and Beech Down schools, whilst St Mark's will have a deficit of 117 places. The number of surplus places in the Manor Field and Beech Down schools is forecast to increase during the five year period.

6.3 The current situation in the area under consideration is that there is a surplus of places in the north-eastern end but a deficit of places in the south-western end, where new housing is being extended by an ongoing development of 1160 houses at Beggarwood Lane.

7 The Beggarwood Lane development.

7.1 The local area under consideration (see Map 2) has mature, established housing estates which are served by Beechdown Primary, Manor Field Infant, Manor Field Junior and Chalk Ridge Primary Schools. The three other schools, Hatch Warren Infant, Hatch Warren Junior and St Mark's Primary serve relatively newly established housing estates. In the south of the local area the new housing development at Beggarwood Lane has no new school planned. It is not possible to make a "basic need" case for new provision to the DfES because of surplus primary school places within two miles. There is a reserved site on the Beggarwood Lane development which, subject to the provision of external hard play area on adjacent land, could house a school for 210 children.

7.2 Building a 210 place primary school on the reserved site at Beggarwood Lane would relocate more places to the area of likely high demand. This would necessitate a review of catchment areas for primary schools in the area and would require capital receipts from the sale of the present Beech Down primary school site.

7.3 It is possible to extend St Marks Primary School to provide an additional 210 places. This would also necessitate a review of catchment areas and require capital receipts from the sale of the Beech Down site.

7.4 If an extra form of entry (i.e. 210 places) is built at the Beggarwood Lane end of the area there would be just under four forms of entry capacity at the north eastern end and six forms of entry at the south western end.

8 Secondary School Provision in the area

This is unaffected by the proposed changes. All schools under discussion feed into Brighton Hill Community School or Cranbourne School.

9 Summary

The paper details the factors considered regarding future primary school provision in south west Basingstoke as a result of the fire at Beech Down Primary School.

The options are:

· rebuild Beech Down Primary School on its current site at its current size.

· rebuild Beech Down School on its current site with reduced capacity.

· do not rebuild Beech Down but increase capacity at the Manor Field and Chalk Ridge schools to accommodate pupils of Beech Down.

· rebuild Beech Down on the Beggarwood Lane development.

· do not rebuild Beech Down but increase capacity at St Mark's CE Primary School in response to likely future demand for places.

· do not rebuild or replace Beech Down Primary School.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied -upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act