Archived decisions

REVIEW OF PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION IN THE EASTERN NEW FOREST AREA

1. There is a declining primary school population in the eastern part of the New Forest, particularly the areas of Totton, Dibden and South Waterside. This trend will continue over the next five years and is a result of demographic changes in areas of residential development in the 1960s and 1970s, where the population has aged and numbers of children have reduced. It is therefore incumbent upon the County Council to review provision in order to make the best use of financial resources and accommodation and to remove surplus places. Despite the declining trend in pupil numbers overall, there are needs for investment in the area, notably to make more satisfactory provision for children with special educational needs; early years; and permanent accommodation for the Forest Education Centre. The removal of surplus places would therefore provide the opportunity for reorganisations releasing resources which could be invested in new, adapted or expanded buildings which could help to meet the needs identified.

2. A full programme of consultations with schools, governors, staff and parents will clearly be essential, and will have the overall aim of establishing a strategic plan for primary school, special school, early years, special educational needs resourced and Education Other Than At School provision, which meets the needs of the local community in this area of the New Forest. To that end the Executive Member has authorised that local consultations be undertaken on the following range of options:

(a) with regard to Calmore Infant School and Calmore Junior School:

(i) the possible amalgamation of the schools to form a two form entry primary school on the junior school site, with the infant school being used for other purposes or sold for residential development;

(ii) the utilisation of surplus capacity at Calmore Infant School and Calmore Junior School for early years and/or SEN resourced provision or out of school childcare provision;

(b) the possible amalgamation of Langdown Infant School and Langdown Junior School to form a one or one and a half form entry primary school on the junior school site, incorporating early education and childcare facilities, with the infant school site being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development;

(i) Blackfield Infant, Blackfield Junior and Fawley Infant Schools to be amalgamated on the Blackfield Junior School site to form a three form entry primary school, with the Blackfield Infant School and Fawley Infant School sites being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development;

(ii) Blackfield Infant School and Blackfield Junior School to be amalgamated on the Blackfield Junior School site to form a two and a half form entry primary school, with the Blackfield Infant School site being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development, and no action being taken at Fawley Infant School;

(iii) Blackfield Infant School and Fawley Infant School to be amalgamated on the Blackfield Infant School site to form a three form entry infant school, with Fawley Infant School being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development, and no action being taken at Blackfield Junior School;

(d) the following possible amalgamations of Holbury Infant School, Holbury Junior School and Manor Infant School;

(i) Holbury Infant, Holbury Junior and Manor Infant Schools to be amalgamated on the Holbury Junior School site to form a two and a half form entry primary school with the Holbury Infant School and Manor Infant School sites being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development;

(ii) Holbury Infant School and Holbury Junior School to be amalgamated on the Holbury Junior School site to form a two form entry primary school, with the Holbury Infant School site being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development, and no action being taken at Manor Infant School;

(iii) Holbury Infant School and Manor Infant School to be amalgamated on the Holbury Infant School site to form a two and a half form entry infant school, with the Manor Infant School site being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development, and no action being taken at Holbury Junior School;

(e) the possible closure of Forest Edge School, Oak Lodge School and Salterns School, and their replacement by separate primary and secondary schools for children with a wider complexity of need;

(f) relocation/replacement of the Forest Education Centre.

3. A full report on the outcome of consultations will be referred to the Education Policy Review Committee and then to the Executive Member at some stage during the next year. Only then, in the light of all views expressed, will any decisions be taken on the way forward. Proposed changes or reorganisations would then be the subject of report to the School Organisation Committee in the usual way.

D. G. Allen

Executive Member

Education

8FR47403

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