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ITEM EX13

EXECUTIVE – 8 JULY 2003

WOOD GREEN AND SPRINGFIELD SCHOOLS, WITNEY

 

DETAILED PROJECT APPRAISAL APPRAISAL NO: ED498/1

 

NAME OF SCHEME SPRINGFIELD SPECIAL SCHOOL (SECONDARY) – CO-LOCATION ONTO THE WOOD GREEN SECONDARY SCHOOL SITE IN WITNEY

START YEAR: 2003/04

BASIS OF ESTIMATE: Atkins estimate based on agreed sketch scheme.

 

  1. INTRODUCTION & DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

    2. For a number of years good working relationships have been established between Springfield Special School and Wood Green School with respect to the integration of pupils into Wood Green School. However, the accommodation for Springfield pupils at Wood Green is cramped and limited, and insufficient for the number of pupils who will need to be catered for on the Wood Green School site in the future. This scheme will allow for the expansion of the Springfield facilities on the Wood Green School. The scheme includes the construction of a new Springfield School building on the site of tennis courts at Wood Green School, the reprovision of Wood Green School’s tennis courts on the school’s playing fields, and the provision of an Artificial Turf Pitch (ATP) to replace playing fields lost as a consequence of the new tennis courts.

  2. JUSTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF NEED

    3. The current facilities for Springfield School at Moorland Close, Witney and at Wood Green School, Witney are inappropriate for meeting the needs of a wide range of children with profound, severe and multiple learning difficulties. The former site provides no opportunities for integration and the existing Wood Green space is cramped and insufficient in terms of its ability to accommodate any additional pupils.

  3. OTHER OPTIONS

    4. The only other option is for the status quo to continue, and for future increases in the pupil roll of secondary aged pupils to be accommodated alongside primary aged children on the Madley Brook site. This would mean that Springfield pupils would not be accommodated in an integrated setting with mainstream pupils of a similar age. In any case, the accommodation at Madley Brook School has not been designed with these additional children in mind.

  4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS (see attached Resource Appraisal) (download as .xls file)

The total estimated capital cost inclusive of fees is £3,220,000. Significant funding of £2,485,194 has been agreed by the DfES as part of its Targeted Capital Initiative, and this will be supplemented by capital receipts from the sale of the existing site in Moorland Close, Witney. Any shortfall will be from ACG.

The revenue costs, which include day-to-day and structural repairs, will be met from the schools delegated budget under the Council’s Fair Funding arrangements. As the school will be occupying new premises, these costs will be very low during the initial years of its occupancy.

  1. OTHER RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

    2. This proposal has no staff or land acquisition implications.

  2. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

The building work will be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the planning permission for the development, which will ensure that environmental and design issues are taken into account.

KEITH BARTLEY
Director of Learning & Culture

CHRIS GRAY
Head of Finance

NEIL MONAGHAN
Head of Finance Head of Property

Contact Officer: Keith Borien, Senior Education Officer Tel: 01865 428161

June 2003


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