Proposal to Enlarge

Proposal to Enlarge

Proposal to enlarge

Frenchay CE Primary School

Drop-in Event

Thursday 24 May 2018

4.15pm – 6pm

Frenchay Village Hall

May 2018

South Gloucestershire Council is seeking your views on a proposal toenlarge Frenchay Church of England (CE) Primary School

This consultation paper explains:

(i)why South Gloucestershire Council has decided to propose to enlarge Frenchay Church of England (CE) Primary School;

(ii)the benefits of the proposal;

(iii)how the consultation on this proposal will be carried out and how you can make your views known.

What is being proposed?

This proposal is to enlarge Frenchay CE Primary School to provide a total of up to 420 primary school places. This would eventually create an additional 280 places on top of the 140 primary school places already provided by Frenchay CE Primary School.

It is proposedto achieve this by moving the existing school to a new site secured on the former Frenchay Hospital site. Under this proposal, Frenchay CE Primary School would operate from the new site/buildings from 1 September 2020. Children on roll at Frenchay CE Primary School would continue to attend Frenchay CE Primary School in new purpose built accommodation from September 2020.

Under Government regulations the proposal to expand Frenchay CE Primary School requires a consultation giving parents, carers andthe community an opportunity to share their thoughts on the proposed expansion.

Drop-in Event

A drop-in event is planned in order to share details of the proposal with interested parties. The event will take place on Thursday 24 May2018between4.15pm – 6pm at Frenchay Village Hall, Beckspool Road, Frenchay, Bristol BS16 1NU.The drop-in event will provide parents/carers of children attending Frenchay CE Primary Schoolwith the opportunity to discuss and comment on the proposal to enlarge Frenchay CE Primary School.

Please be aware that this event is different from the drop-in event held in January 2018. The event in January 2018provided local residentswith the opportunity to discuss and comment on the proposed scheme including how the scheme would be funded setting out the option to contribute capital funding achieved from the sale ofland at Malmains Drive in Frenchay.

Why is the Council proposing to enlarge Frenchay CE Primary School?

Frenchay CE Primary School has a long record of service to local Frenchay children and families and this proposal is in line with a local aspiration to ensure the needs of the expanding community are served through the provision of one school for Frenchay.

Discussion over the years with Frenchay community representatives and the governing body of the school have indicated concern about the impact of the new housing and a possible new and separate primary school. Development of the former Frenchay Hospital site is estimated to yield an additional 180 primary school age children and will require the provision of additional primary school places in the area. With no scope for expansion of other local schools, the Council has been successful in securing land and a financial contribution from the developer in order to create additional primary school places in Frenchay.

The Council supports the local community’s aspiration for one school for Frenchay and is working with the Department for Education and the Diocese of Bristol to achieve this through the proposed enlargement of Frenchay CE Primary School.

Why are these proposals being considered now?

The Council monitors the impact of house building on the demand for school places to ensure there are sufficient school places to meet the needs of new and growing communities. Development of the former Frenchay Hospital site is underway and families with children living on the development will seek local school places. The total projected yield of primary school age children exceeds the current number of places available in existing local schools. Additional capacity will therefore be needed.The Council is currently undertaking the necessary work to transfer the land for the proposed enlarged school on the former Frenchay Hospital Site into Council ownership.

Why is the Council proposing to transfer Frenchay CE Primary School to a new site?

Frenchay CE Primary School has a planned admission number of 20 with a total school capacity for 140 pupils across the 4 - 11 years age range. The current school in Frenchay has no capacity to expand on its current site and the local authority is required by law to ensure there are sufficient school places for everyone who needs one.

There have been discussions over many years about improving the accommodation at Frenchay CE Primary School. The current school building is small and there is a backlog of repairs and maintenance works. Temporary accommodation on the school site provides additional classroom space though there is no option to expand the existing building to provide additional capacity on a permanent basis. There is not enough space to create a new primary school of appropriate size on the existing site which would meet required standards or future pupil numbers.

Within the development area on the former Frenchay Hospital site, the Council has negotiated the provision of land for a new primary school and a financial contribution towards the cost of building a new primary school. It is proposed to move the existing school to this new site. The new site on the development land is approximately 700 metres / 0.3 miles from the existing school. The location of both sites is set out in the attached aerial view of the area.

Existing Frenchay CE Primary School site and proposed new site locations

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What are the benefits of the proposal?

With any proposed change to the size and organisation of schools, it is important that educational considerations and the interests of the children are given the highest priority. South Gloucestershire Council is committed to improving standards of education and enabling the best possible school provision to support children’s learning.

The Governing Body of Frenchay CE Primary School has carefully considered
the case for increasing the size of the school and believes that it brings many
potential benefits to the school community including:

  • ensuring local children can attend their local school;
  • providing increased opportunities for younger and older children through the provision of a broader curriculum offering a greater variety of experiences and activities;
  • an opportunity to continue to raise standards of attainment, building on existing best practice and extending it to more children;
  • improving the quality of school premises in purpose built accommodation designed with the valuable input from the existing senior leadership team at Frenchay CE Primary School;
  • improved development opportunities for members of staff.

The option to enlarge the existing Frenchay CE Primary School would also:

  • provide one school to serve the whole of Frenchay rather than two separate schools;
  • provide the additional places necessary to meet growth arising from families moving into new homes;
  • provide purpose built accommodationwith all appropriate facilities to enhance the teaching and learning experience;
  • provide additional primary school places to meet sustained growth in the future.

It is important to emphasise that Frenchay CE Primary School would retain its:

  • existing Church of England voluntary controlled legal status;
  • ethos, vision and Christian distinctiveness;
  • existing governing body;
  • existing leadership and staff.

Children on the roll of Frenchay CE Primary School would remain on roll and transfer automatically to the new school site unless parents wish otherwise.

Note: In England and Wales avoluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in which a foundation or trust (usually a Christian denomination) has some formal influence in the running of the school. In a Voluntary Controlled school, the land and buildings are typically owned by a charitable foundation, which also appoints about a quarter of the school governors. The local authority employs the school's staff and has primary responsibility for the school's admission arrangements.

Why can’t local children without places go to schools in other areas?

This is possible and indeed already happens in some cases. However it is not
a popular solution and many families want their children to attendtheir local school. In the event that additional places are not made available, there is a greater risk of brothers and sisters being offeredplaces at different schools, causing disruption for families. Insufficient places for local children may also haveadditional travel, financial and environmental impacts.

What would happen to the existing Frenchay CE Primary School site?

If the proposal to transfer Frenchay CE Primary School to a new site goes ahead,the existing school site would no longer be required for school use. The site is not owned by South Gloucestershire Council and will revert to the trustees of the school. The Council is in discussions with the Diocese of Bristoland the Trustees about the future of the site.

How will the decision be made to expand Frenchay CE Primary School?

The Council will take into account the views expressed by parents and the community and will make a decision on whether to proceed to the next stage of the legal process forexpanding the school. If the Council decides to proceed to the next stage, statutory notices will be published in the local press and at the school which would give parents and the local community a final opportunity to comment. The council would then decide in July 2018 whether to proceed with the expansion of Frenchay CE Primary School.

If the proposals go ahead, will members of staff at the school be involved in developing the new building?

Members of the school’s senior leadership team and governing body will be fully involved in the project, from beginning to end, to ensure that the needs of the school are comprehensively reflected in the specification and design of the new school building. Regular project meetings will be convened to ensure that the project is delivered on time and according to the agreed specification. Discussions are already underway to ensure that the heritage of the school and school’s distinctive Christian character is reflected in the new building.

If the proposals go ahead to expand Frenchay CE Primary School, what are the timescales involved for building works?

The Council would ensure that the new school building is ready for occupation in time for the start of the new academic year in September 2020. Works on the newly acquired site would begin following the submission and approval of a planning application, detailed design work and the tender process to appoint a contractor. There will be further opportunities for all interested parties to comment on the plans for the new school building as part of the planning application process.

What would be the proposed arrangements for the school moving to the new site?

The school would operate from the new site from September 2020 providing a seamless transition from its current site at Churchside, Church Road, Bristol BS16 1NB. The move would take place in the summer 2020 in time for the start of the new academic year 2020/2021. New starters and existing children on roll at Frenchay CE Primary School would attend the new site from 1 September 2020.

Would there be an impact on the operation of the existing school during the building works?

The operation of the existing school would not be affected by the project to build a new school on the former Frenchay Hospital site. The school’s ethos, Christian and British beliefs and values would not change as a result of the proposed expansion. The Council and the school are confident that the expansion would achieve its aims and be properly managed, with the school growing across the age range.

What are the key dates for the decision making process?

The proposed transfer and enlargement of Frenchay CE Primary School is a major step. Following the drop-in session, the Council will need to undertake the legal process for enlarging Frenchay CE Primary School. Government regulations set down a statutory process for enlarging a school – see table below. It is proposed that the Council will take a final decision by the end of the current academic year 2017/2018.

Statutory Process for Enlarging a School

Stage / Action / Timescale
Informal consultation / The council will consult with parents/carers, local schools and stakeholders on the proposal to enlarge Frenchay CE Primary School and hold a drop-in event for parents/carers to discuss the proposal / Consultation during May 2018
Drop-in event 24 May 2018
Decision to proceed / The Council will consider all the responses received in the consultation and will decide whether to proceed to publish a statutory notice about the proposal. / 4 June 2018
Statutory Notice / The publication of a statutory notice with full details of the proposal / 5 June 2018
Representation Period / An opportunity for interested parties to make any comments on the proposal. / 4 week period starting 5 June 2018
Final Decision / The Council makes a final decision on whether to go ahead with the proposal bearing in mind all the details and all the comments which have been received. / July 2018
Implementation / It is planned that Frenchay CE Primary School will operate with an increased admission number from the new site / 1 September 2020

How to make your views known

  • Drop-in Event - Parents and other people in the local community, together with the staff and governors of the school, are invited to respond to this consultation. A drop-in event will be held on Thursday 24 may 2018 at 4.15pm – 6pm at Frenchay Village Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.
  • Questionnaire -At the end of this consultation paper is a questionnaire which you are invited to complete and return.

The closing date for receipt of responses is by 5pm 1 June 2018 by email or post as follows:

Email:

By post: Tanya Smith, Strategic Lead - School Place Planning

Department for Children, Adults and HealthPO Box 1955, Bristol. BS37 0DE

Proposal to enlarge Frenchay

CE Primary School

  1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposal to enlarge Frenchay CE Primary School?

Strongly agree / Neither agree or disagree / Strongly disagree
Tend to agree / Tend to disagree / Don’t know

Please share your reasons for your answer.

2. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposal for the school to move to the proposed new site on the former Frenchay Hospital site?

Strongly agree / Neither agree or disagree / Strongly disagree
Tend to agree / Tend to disagree / Don’t know

Please share your reasons for your answer.

Please refer to the Council’s website for an electronic version.

Please indicate below (tick box), if you wish, which of any of the following apply to you

I am:

-a parent/carer of a pupil currently attending Frenchay CE Primary School

-a parent/carer of a pupil currently attending another school

-a pupil currently attending Frenchay CE Primary School

-a pupil currently attending another school 

-a governor of a school (please state school)

......

-a teacher or non-teaching staff (please state school)

......

-a local resident 

...... ……

-other interested party (please give details) 

...... ……

Thank you for taking the time to share your views on this proposal.

Email your comments to:

Or by post at the following address:

Tanya Smith

Strategic Lead - School Place Planning

Department for Children, Adults and Health

PO Box 1955, Bristol. BS37 0DE

Please ensure that your comments reach the Council by 5pm on 1 June 2018