Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/092

Contact: Diane Cameron, School Organisation & Planning Tel: (01865) 816445

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDCEF4).

This is a school-led proposal from the Governing Body of Chilton Primary School to increase the formal published admission number from 30 to 45, on a permanent basis starting from September 2016. This will eventually increase the school’s total capacity from its current 210 places in year groups Reception – Year 6 to a maximum of 315.

The objective of the proposal is to provide sufficient primary school places for Chilton village and its surrounding area, enabling the Local Authority to meet its statutory duty in this regard. The school has been working closely with the council in preparing its proposal and a feasibility study is ongoing.

In September 2015, not all in-catchment children who wanted a Reception place at the school were able to be offered one, due in part to local housing development. Expansion of this school (and possibly in future, expansion of Harwell Community Primary School nearby) is expected to be necessary to meet the needs of the growing local population.

The decision on this proposal lies with the Governing Body, which will make its formal decision at its meeting on 4^th February 2016. Following the consultation, governors now seek formal support for their proposal from the Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families to cement the joint working with the county council already taking place on this proposal.

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to support the proposed expansion of Chilton Primary School.

Agreed.