Southampton proposes more primary school places

Southampton City Council is set to consult on making up-to 19 primary schools larger in response to rising birth rates in the city.

Last night (Monday 6 September), the Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Councillor Paul Holmes, approved a six week consultation on a range of options for increasing the number of Reception class places available from September 2011.

He said: "During the past few years we have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of children being born in Southampton. At the same time, more families are choosing to stay in the city when their children reach school age and less parents can afford private education. All of this is creating pressure on our education system, so it is important that we respond in the interests of Southampton's families and schools."

The proposals are to add 160 Reception class places to schools in September 2011, with a further 195 places being added in September 2012. The expanded year groups would work their way through the school until all year groups were resized. The result would be that by September 2018, there would be approximately an additional 2,900 primary places at up to 19 infant, junior and primary schools across the whole city.

This consultation is the second phase of a city-wide review of primary school places, which began with proposals for the City Centre and Freemantle areas in 2009. Hundreds of places are now being added in these areas, which were among the first to feel the affects of rising birth rates. The schools included in the second phase of the review are in areas also feeling the pressure and have been selected on a range of criteria on their capacity to expand.

Schools have already been involved in informal consultations with the city council, and this period of consultation allows everybody, including parents and the wider community, to share their views. Drop-in events are being held at each of the primary schools or pairs of infant and junior schools included in the proposals. Information and feedback forms are also available from these schools or on online at www.southampton.gov.uk/primaryreview.

The consultation begins on Tuesday 14 September and closes on Tuesday 26 October. Once all of the responses have been collated a final set of proposals will be reported to Cllr Holmes, before a further consultation period and decision. This is expected to happen early in the new year.

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