A primary school in the Hightown area

• Next steps
• Consultation events
• Online consultation form
• Download full consultation document (126Kb PDF)
• Message from Councillors Smith and Smithson

The proposal

Publication of statutory proposals

Publication of Statutory Proposals After considering what you told us we also looked at what’s best for all our primary schools across the Whitcliffe Mount Pyramid. Based on our findings, we recommend the following schools for expansion by publishing statutory proposals.

These are part of our overall plans for reorganisation of primary schools in the Whitcliffe Mount area, and as they were consulted on last year they do not require any further formal consultation.

About statutory proposals and notices

This is a legal process and its format is prescribed by law. When proposals are published, a statutory notice containing certain aspects of the complete proposal will be published in the local press, displayed at the main entrances of the schools and in selected locations in the community including libraries and community centres.
From the date of publication, there follows a statutory period during which representations e.g. objections and comments can be made. This is the final opportunity for individuals and organisations to express their views about the proposals and ensure that they will be considered by the Local Authority.

The statutory period for these proposals is six weeks. In addition, although it will not be part of the formal consultation, Cllr Smithson and Cllr Smith are very keen to meet with people. They are open to talk frankly about the rationale and plans to plot the path for staff and students, so that we can all properly and effectively cope with the proposed changes.

Options for Further consultation

We listened to what you said during the last consultation and are now proposing a range of options for the first schools in three areas;

• Birkenshaw and East Bierely
• Cleckheaton
• Hightown

to seek the views of parents/carers, pupils, staff, governors and the wider community before determining the recommended way forward.

We are asking for views in a consultation running for four weeks from Monday 8th June to Friday 3rd July 2009. Further details can be found in the corresponding consultation documents. All parents and carers have been sent the document(s) most relevant to them.

Options for Primary School Provision in the Hightown Area

Existing provision

High Bank First and Nursery School and Hightown School serve the area
Map shows the location and Priority Admission Areas for the two schools (pdf 586Kb)
High Bank First & Nursery School is a primary school for pupils aged 3-11 with 81 pupils on roll including 13 in the nursery.
Hightown School is a primary school for pupils aged 3-11 with 184 pupils on roll including 37 in the nursery.

Future primary school provision for the Hightown area

We are proposing that the future primary school provision for the Hightown area should be a 1-class entry primary school with a nursery for pupils aged 3-11 years. The school would have a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 30 pupils to give a total of 210 pupils plus nursery.

Possible sites for a primary school to serve the Hightown area

We have carefully considered all potential sites in the area including the existing two schools and the former Grylls Community Middle School.
The suggested advantages and disadvantages of the three school sites are summarised below:

Site of Grylls Middle School

Advantages

• This is a large site located in the south west of the area.
• A new building of modern standards would give excellent fit for purpose facilities (The new Howard Park Community School in Cleckheaton is an example of such a building).
• This would represent very good value for money and provide a good investment for the future
• A new school on the Grylls Middle School site would have the potential to be further developed and extended should it be necessary (The empty middle school building would be demolished).
• This option would mean minimum disruption to pupils’ education as the new school building and site could be developed while the pupils remain in their current schools

Disadvantages

• The past reputation of the school on the site may make this option less popular for some parents.
• The site is not ideally placed to serve the wider Planned Admission Area and would require improved access arrangements from Windy Bank Lane.

Site of High Bank First & Nursery School

Advantages

• The site is shared with the Children’s Centre and is well placed to provide further services for the local community.

Disadvantages

• This is a very small site at the western end of the Windy Bank Estate.
• The site is not ideally placed to serve the wider Planned Admission Area and would require improved access arrangements from Windy Bank Lane.
• The school building is small and does not offer best value for the capital investment to develop the building and site as a 1-class entry primary school.
• Significant capital investment would be required to extend and remodel the school to meet minimum national building guidance standards for a 1-class entry primary school. This investment would also reduce the external area for pupils and require additional off-site sports provision to bring it up to current playing field standards.
• The pupils would need to be housed in temporary accommodation whilst construction work is taking place.

Site of Hightown School

Advantages

• The school is located fairly centrally in the area, close to the eastern end of the Windy Bank Estate.

Disadvantages

• The proposed capital investment has the potential to improve the school environment to meet national building guidance standards for a 1-class entry primary school, but would still continue to have restricted parking and play areas and need additional sports provision located 200m away to meet current playing field standards.
• The pupils would need to be housed in temporary accommodation whilst construction work is taking place. For the reasons outlined above the High Bank First & Nursery school site is not deemed good value for money for development as a primary school for 210 pupils with nursery provision. However, it is proposed that the Children's Centre should remain on this site and that consideration should be given to develop additional community facilities.

What are your views?

We are therefore proposing the options of either

1. A new building on the Grylls Middle School site or
2. An enlarged and improved building on the Hightown School site

These two options are shown in this map with the indicative Admission Area (pdf 1.37Mb)

In this consultation we are asking for your views about the best location of the future primary schools serving the Hightown Area.
When the preferred option has been agreed we will publish a further document for statutory consultation.

Support through changes

We are preparing detailed plans to plot the pathway for pupils, parents and staff so that we can all effectively manage with any proposed changes. Maintaining stability and creating an improvement in the current standards of our children’s education will remain the backbone of everything we do.

Support for staff

Retaining our skilled teaching and support staff to maintain high standards of teaching and learning is fundamental to our plans. We have been working with staff groups and trade unions to develop a HR framework to support staff transitions that will ensure processes are fair and support individuals in terms of their career ambitions and personal aspiration