Winchester schools to expand, numbers announced (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Winchester schools to expand, numbers announced

9:35am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Winchester By Rachel Masker

COUNTY chiefs have announced the Winchester city primary schools set to expand to cope with the rising number of pupils.

The county council is planning to site double temporary classrooms at five schools next September to provide an extra 80 reception class places, as revealed by the Hampshire Chronicle last month.

Western will open its gates to 30 additional four and five-year-olds. This means it will expand from a two-form to a three-form entry school of 90 reception pupils. A temporary classroom is planned for the upper school field.

St Peter’s Catholic will take 15 additional pupils on top of its published admission number of 45, also making it a two-form entry school. Instead of a mobile unit, the school’s IT suite will provide an extra classroom.

Winnall, All Saints in Highcliffe and Kings Worthy will each provide 10 additional places while Harestock will take an extra five children. These schools will have new temporary classrooms.

The council has promised schools earmarked for expansion will receive extra money to employ new teaching staff.

Details have emerged as parents face an anxious two-month wait to see if their child will be offered a place at their first choice primary school.

Letters will be sent out offering places on April 19.

The council says the 80 extra reception class places mean “the vast majority” of families will be accepted by their first choice school this September.

The local authority says the increase in demand for school places in Winchester city is here to stay. The surge in demand has been attributed to a rising birth rate, families moving to the city and new house building.

Decisions on replacing temporary classrooms with permanent buildings will be taken over the coming year.

This could include building a new school in the city and replacing mobile units with permanent new classrooms.

As reported, the search has started for a site for a new school with Winchester and Chandler’s Ford MP Steve Brine calling for it to open its doors soon as September 2013.

In a statement, Councillor Roy Perry, executive lead member for children’s services, said: “I would urge parents not to worry at the thought of modular (temporary) classrooms. These are high quality, self-contained buildings with toilets, washrooms, cloak areas and provide a very good learning environment.”

The county has been criticised by Liberal Democrat opposition councillors for failing to plan for the increase in pupil numbers and “wasting” money on temporary classrooms.