OPTION 4

1. This option involves the creation of a "lower" and "upper" school, on the model which succeeds in Thame. The lower school (years 7-9: approx. 1250 pupils) would occupy the present West site, the upper school would be housed within the present Centre site, with the acquisition of the adjacent Infants’ School. The difficulties noted in Annex 5, Paras. 20-22, need to be noted.
2. The net cost of this development is estimated as £25,033,000.

Whilst this organisation pattern is successful in Thame, it is doubtful whether it can be recommended in Wantage, if only on the grounds of comparable cost. If investment of well above £20m is to be considered in Wantage, then it is very doubtful as to whether that sum should be committed to an option which is in educational terms not as robust as some competing schemes. The risks would also be high, particularly in terms of land acquisition of the West Site. PFI would, as with Option 1, be more difficult to secure for this type of scheme than for Option 2 (or 3), as would developer contributions. Many of the downsides noted within Option 1 recur here.

Return to TOP