Decision - Options for Providing School Places

To enable the Cabinet member to make a decision on the provision of additional school places in the City.

1.       That the possible options for additional primary places within the City be noted.

2.       That it be agreed that the CYPT will pursue the option of providing a new two form entry Primary School by further considering the top 4 scoring sites in Appendix 2: Hove Park depot, Hove Park Upper School, BHASVIC and Leicester Villas. 

3.       That it be agreed that, should a new primary school be developed, the LA will either enter the competition open to those who would wish to operate the new school or be assured that those competing would offer places to local children.

4.       That it be agreed that the CYPT will consult with schools and their communities on the proposal to expand the following schools:

·            Goldstone Primary School (1 new form of entry)

·            Westdene primary School (1 new form of entry)

·            Queens Park Primary School (0.5 new form of entry)

5.       That it be agreed that, should the creation of a new school not be possible in the necessary timeframe, the CYPT will consult with the following schools regarding proposals to expand by one form of entry:

·            West Blatchington Primary School

·            Aldrington or St Andrews VA Primary Schools

6.       That urgent discussions with Westdene and Goldstone Primary Schools be agreed with a view to providing one extra form of entry at each school for September 2010, accommodated in temporary buildings, in order to help meet the immediate demand for places.

1.       Current and projected pupil numbers for the city as a whole show there is an immediate and ongoing need for additional school places in the city as a whole.  This need is most acute in south central hove and on the Brighton / Hove border.

2.       To meet the projected future growth in pupil numbers we should be looking to provide a minimum of 135 additional primary school places which equates to 4.5 forms of entry. 

This paper presents the range of options available to address the need for future primary places within the City.