Providing new school places across Warwickshire - 2020
The WCC School Organisation and Planning team has recently published the Annual Education Sufficiency Update, which provides the current context for the delivery of the WCC Education Sufficiency Strategy 2018 - 2023.
The 2020 Sufficiency Update is available in the 'Education policies and strategies' section of the WCC website, here:
https://api.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/WCCC-1023-333
This update provides pupil number forecasts in each planning area in the County from September 2020 and outlines any pressures expected during that period. Pupil forecasts include the impact of all currently approved housing developments at the time of publication. Details of how any expected pressures will be met, including current planned capital schemes, are outlined in each section.
To meet demand for school places in specific areas across the County, numerous temporary and permanent school expansions and several new schools have been delivered in recent years - or are in progress. The details for all of these projects are provided in the Sufficiency Update and on our website: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/schoolplanning.
Some of the key projects include:
The Coleshill School increased its PAN to 210 in September 2017, from 180. An additional classroom block has been delivered by the WCC Design & Major Projects team for the 2020/21 academic year to allow the school to accommodate the increased pupil numbers as they roll out across all year groups.
Photo: The Coleshill School expansion project, August 2020
A new primary school was opened in 2019 to meet anticipated demand in the north of Nuneaton. Lower Farm Primary School opened with a PAN of 30, with capacity to increase to 60 as required in time. In the south of the borough, Newdigate Primary School was expanded by the WCC Design & Major Projects team to accommodate a PAN of 60 (increased from 45) in 2020.
Photo: Newdigate Primary School expansion project, August 2020
There is a shortfall of secondary school places in Rugby and this is forecast to increase in the coming years. A new secondary school, Ashlawn Free School is proposed to open with a PAN of 180 in 2021, which will largely meet the forecast need. In the meantime, in 2020 four of Rugby’s secondary schools (Rugby Free Secondary School, Bilton School, Ashlawn School and Harris Church of England Academy) have accepted temporary bulge classes above their PANs to accommodate pupils in advance of the opening of Ashlawn Free School.
To contribute additional secondary school places in Warwick district, Campion School expanded in 2019 by increasing its PAN from 155 to 210. Additional classroom buildings will be delivered by the WCC Design & Major Projects team by the end of 2020 to allow the school to accommodate the increased pupil numbers as they roll out across all year groups.
Photo: Campion School expansion project, August 2020
The increasing demand for primary school places in Warwick district has been partially met by the opening of Heathcote Primary School in 2017. The school has been extremely popular and is expanding to a PAN of 60 from 2020. Expansion works have been undertaken by the WCC Design & Major Projects team.
Photo: Heathcote Primary School expansion project, August 2020
A new primary school was opened in 2019 to meet anticipated demand in Stratford District. Tudor Grange Primary Academy Meon Vale opened with a PAN of 30. Expansion of Stratford upon Avon School is proposed for 2022, to provide an increase to its PAN of at least 30 secondary places.