UNCERTAINTY around the development of a multi-million pound new primary school has forced Bolton's education bosses to approach schools ­— already operating at capacity ­— to take on extra pupils.

Saiqa Chaudhari reports

IT was hoped a new school, given government approval in 2016, would tackle the increasing demand and pressure for primary school places in the south of the borough but uncertainty surrounds its future.

But it was revealed this week that plans to build a new 420-place primary school to cope with demand for places have failed to move forward

The Bolton News:

And now Bolton's education chiefs say they are now having to explore alternative options to increase the number of school places in the south of the borough ­— Daubhill, Deane, Great Lever and Morris Green.

Bolton Council has written to headteachers in the area asking them put forward "expressions of interest" in being considered for expansion on temporary or permanent basis which would be funded by the local authority, whereas the free school would be funded by the government.

The Bolton News:

Schools already at capacity in the area have already accepted extra children over and above their "published admission number" but now as pressure for places is likely to continue for the "forseeable future" education bosses say it was no longer an option to ask schools to do this as it could impact on infant class limits ­— the legal limit is a maximum of 30 children in an infant classes: reception, Year One and Year Two classes.

Education officers are now exploring ways to expand schools by creating additional accommodation.

The letter to headteachers states: "Progress around the delivery of this free school remains uncertain and the council continues to experience pressure for places in the area."

It adds: "Whilst the department for education have yet to confirm their intentions with regard to the proposed free school, the council are proposing to consider options for both temporary proposals which may require additional accommodation being provided for a period of around four years or so, or more permanent solutions to increase capacity."

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: "We are continuing to work with the department for education and Regional Schools Commissioner to progress the development of the free school that was announced in Parliament in 2016.

“We are looking at all options to ensure we provide school places for every child. This includes investigating temporary expansions to existing schools while the development of the free school moves forward.

“We do not anticipate any issues with primary school places for September 2020."

The council is intending the expansions will be ready to take in pupils from September 2020.

Last year Bolton Council unveiled multi-million plans for a secondary school and a primary school to deal with demand for places.

Kings Leadership has now opened in high quality temporary accommodation but there is uncertainty around the primary school for which no site has yet been earmarked.

Vantage Academies is behind the free primary school.

Simon Bramwell, CEO of the Trust , said: "We are very keen to progress the free school, as it brings a state of the art facility to the Bolton Education family of schools at no cost to the local authority or Ratepayers. We have recently successfully opened a Free School in Gorton and have the team raring to go.

We are also working closely with the regional schools commissioner and Bolton local authority to move the project forward as soon as possible.

"We are very optimistic that a positive outcome can be achieved in the near future."

From 2009 to 2017 Bolton has seen a huge rise in the demand for school places ­— with Bolton’s primary schools currently accommodating around 5,000 additional primary school places than ten years ago. These pupils are now moving on to secondary school, placing pressures on classroom places.

Plans to build housing developments could put further pressure on schools places.

The primary school population is expected to rise from 28133 to 28,382 in 2021/22 and the secondary population is expected to rise from 17,942 in 2018/19 to 20,403 in 2022/23, with numbers outstripping capacity from 2020/21. Capacity is said to be outstripped in 2020/21 where numbers rise to 19,355 and spaces are 19,346.

The numbers are based on projected births and future housebuilding in the borough is said to put another increase on school places.

Four schools in the "south primary pupil place planing area" fall in the constituency of Bolton West.

The Bolton News: CANDIDATE: Julie Hilling

Julie Hilling, prospective parliamentary candidate for Bolton West, said: "The call for schools to consider increasing their pupil intake and the non-appearance of the free school three years after it was agreed just shows how the current system is not working.

"Labour's National Education Service will allow Local Authorities with schools and other partners to plan where schools are needed and have an holistic approach to the education of our children. The 'market' and private profit has no place in education and has clearly failed in Bolton."

The Bolton News: Chris Green MP

Chris Green, who is also standing in Bolton West, said: "Having a good quality education helps give children the best start in life and it’s so important that parents and families can choose their preferred primary and secondary school.

"This is why I’m fully in favour of a new school being built locally, to make sure that this can happen and take pressures of existing schools to provide more school places."

 

The Bolton News: ElectionsModule Candidate photo

Rebecca Forrest, who is standing in the constituency as the Lib-Dem candidate, said: "The underinvestment in education by the Conservative government combined with their focus on schools being independently run means that local authorities have lost the ability to plan properly for their educational provision.

"The shortage of school places is a crisis which has been ignored for far too long at both a national and local level in Bolton. So much so that this situation has arrived, where the council is now asking schools across the borough if they will expand both their numbers and, as a consequence, their facilities to meet the urgent need for places.

"When they also fail to build new schools with additional capacity to cater for their future requirements, their short-sighted approach is evidenced further. Birth rate data is readily available to be able to predict the demand on school places and such a lack of planning is unforgivable when our children’s futures are at stake."

The local authority will assess schools which step forward on their popularity, Ofsted judgement, how practical is it to expand a school with out comprising other resources such as the outdoor area as "many schools are built on tight urban sites, with limited external space for pupil play and recreational opportunities" and the cost and value for money as "there is only a limited amount of capital available".

The Bolton News:

Schools which the local authority has written to are:

Daubhill: Brandwood Primary School, Haslam Park Primary School, Pikes Lane Primary School, St Ethelbert RC Primary, Sunning Hill Primary, The Olive Tree Academy

Deane: Beaumont Primary School, Ladybridge Primary School, Lostock Primary School, St Bernard's RC Primary, St Mary's RC Primary

Great Lever: Bishop Bridgeman CE Academy, Clarendon Primary, St Peter and Paul's RC Primary, SS Simon and Jude CE Academy; St Michael CE Primary, St William of York RC,

Morris Green: Essa Academy, Heathfield Primary, Lever Edge Academy, St Bede's CE Academy and St Andrew's CE Primary