DRAFT SCHOOL ORGANISATION PLAN 2003/04 - 2007/08

Hampshire County Council has published a draft School Organisation Plan, covering the period 2003/04 - 2007/08. The complete draft plan is available for inspection between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday, at the Education County Office, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire and at all public libraries in the County (during normal opening hours). The plan is also available on the County Council's web site (www.hants.gov.uk/education/department/).

The plan indicates how the local education authority intends to match the supply and demand for school places over the five year period. It sets out the policies which are relevant to proposals to increase the number of school places in an area, or to remove surplus capacity. Although primary school numbers are expected to decline by around 9,100 and numbers in secondary schools to decline by over 2,600, during the period covered by the plan, there are significant local variations which are reflected in proposals for specific local planning areas. On this basis, the draft plan concludes that there will be a need for additional primary school places in Basingstoke, Whitchurch, Liphook, Hedge End, Knightwood, Whiteley, Lee-on-the-Solent, Fleet / Church Crookham, Marchwood, Sway, Wickham and Droxford, and additional secondary places in Alton, Hamble, West Fareham, Gosport, Frogmore, Lymington, Ringwood, Stockbridge, and New Alresford. It will be necessary to review a number of areas where there are significant surpluses, including primary schools in parts of Basingstoke, Tadley, Eastleigh, Fareham, Yateley/Frogmore, Totton, Dibden/South Waterside, Aldershot and Farnborough/Cove, and secondary schools in Basingstoke, Kingsclere/Whitchurch, Tadley and Aldershot/Farnborough . The plan also refers to proposals to reorganise provision in parts of the county for children with special educational needs, in special schools and resourced provision in mainstream schools.

Any person may object to any aspect of the draft plan. Objections should be submitted in writing, addressed to Ian Lawson, Strategic Planning Officer, Education Department, The Castle , Winchester, Hants SO23 8UG, to arrive no later than 5 pm on 16 October 2003.

After the close of the objection period, the draft School Organisation Plan, together with any objections, will be considered by the School Organisation Committee for Hampshire. The approved plan will then be published and be available from the same places as the draft plan.

Andrew Seber

County Education Officer

31 July 2003