Bath and North East Somerset Council has moved to reassure parents about the availability of school places across the area following a report by the BBC.
The Council has recently decided to increase pupil places at six Primary Schools:
- Bathampton Primary (increase of 64 places to 210 from September 2013 in stages);
- Castle Primary, Keynsham (increase of 210 places to 420 with the first of these available from September 2013);
- Paulton Infant (increase of 91 places to 270 with the first of these available from for September 2013);
- Paulton Junior (increase of 120 places to 360 places from September 2016);
- Peasedown St. John Primary (increase of 105 places to 525 places from Sept 2013);
- Weston All Saints C of E Primary schools (increase of 150 places to 630 places with the first of these available from September 2014).
Provision of additional places in these schools is intended to help local families to obtain a place for their children at their local school, which will help to make it viable for as many children as possible to be able to walk or cycle to school and keep communities together.
Councillor Dine Romero (Lib-Dem, Southdown), Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children & Youth, said, “The Council is thinking well ahead to provide sufficient school places in the right areas to meet demand and increase choice for parents.
“We have projected future pupil numbers and made the right decisions to ensure a shortfall of primary school places is avoided. Had the Council not taken action, local parents would be in the same position as many others reported up and down the country of struggling to find a school for their child.
“Projections show that pupil numbers will grow in Bath and North East Somerset over the next few years and we will continue to plan ahead with the aim of providing additional school places when and where they are needed.”
More information about the proposed expansion can be found here: http://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CommitteeId=122&CF=&MeetingId=3644&Ver=4
Some of the projects are subject to obtaining the relevant planning permissions.
