Changes to Weymouth Catchment Areas

Consultation paper

•StAndrews’sCEVAPrimarySchool/StJohn’sCEVAPrimarySchool

•ExpansionofBincombeValleyPrimarySchoolCatchmentArea

•RadipolePrimarySchool/StJohn’sCEVAPrimarySchool

•ConifersPrimarySchool/HolyTrinityCEVCPrimarySchool/BeechcroftStPaul’sCEVAPrimarySchool

DorsetCountyCouncil

Working together for a strong and successful Dorset

Forconsultations5January-27February2015

1. Introduction

The last few years has seen a significant rise in school aged children both nationally and in Dorset. West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council have prepared their Local Plan and this details how they propose to provide more housing in the area which includes Weymouth. In response to these two issues, Dorset County Council has reviewed educational provision in the whole of Weymouth and, as a result, is consulting on making 4 catchment area changes.

2. Reasonsfortheproposals

A)St.Andrew’sPrimarySchool/StJohn’sPrimarySchool(Seemap1)St. Andrew’s Primary School currently has a large relatively rural catchment area spreading east from the school’s location. The school has a capacity of 60 children in each year group, but currently there are only between 20 and 31 children in the catchment area per year group.

In order to support the catchment numbers, it is proposed that the Overcombe area of the catchment of St. John’s Primary School is moved into the St. Andrew’s catchment. St. John’s currently has capacity for 30 children per year group where as they have over 65 and 75 children per year group in their catchment. This will relieve some of the pressure on St. John’s and support St. Andrews numbers. In addition, it is proposed that part of the Bincombe Valley Primary School’s catchment is also brought into the St. Andrew’s catchment area. Bincombe Valley currently has a capacity of 48 children per year group, whereas there are between 64 and 77 children per year group going forward within the catchment area.

B)ExpansionofBincombeValleyPrimarySchool(Seemap1)In the long term the proposed Littlemoor Urban Extension will generate significant numbers of children as and when the housing is built. The majority of the Littlemoor Extension falls into the St. Nicholas and St. Laurence Primary School catchment. Given the proximity of the development to Bincombe Valley Primary School this fact needs to be addressed. In addition, St. Nicholas & St. Lawrence has over 40 children in catchment per year group going forward yet they only have capacity for 30 in their current structure.

DCC propose that the Littlemoor Urban Extension is best placed in the Bincombe Valley Primary School catchment area. A longer term capacity review of Bincombe Valley is underway to ensure that there is longer term sufficiency in North Weymouth.

C)RadipolePrimarySchool/St.John’sPrimaryPrimarySchool(Seemap2)St. John’s Primary School has between 65 and 75 children per year group within catchment whereas it only has a capacity of 30 per year. Invariably, a proportion of catchment families have to look elsewhere for a school place and based on distance have to compete for places at alternative schools, especially Radipole which is the next nearest school. The proposal is that St. John’s catchment stays the same and there is to be no change in terms of local catchment families

being prioritised for places. The change would be the inclusion of the St. John’s catchment area into that of Radipole Primary School. Radipole has a capacity of 60 children yet has between 36 and 47 children in catchment in the years going forward. This change would mean that children within St John’s catchment area would also be in catchment for Radipole.

D)BeechcroftSt.Paul’sPrimarySchool/ConifersPrimarySchool/HolyTrinity PrimarySchool(Seemap3)

Beechcroft St. Paul’s Primary School has a very densely populated catchment area. The school has a capacity of 30 children per year group whereas there are between 60 and 80 children per year group in the catchment area. Invariably a proportion of catchment families have to look elsewhere for a school place and based on distance have to compete for a place at their next nearest schools, especially Holy Trinity and Conifers primaries.

The proposal is that Beechcroft St. Paul’s catchment stays the same and thus there is no change in terms of local catchment families being prioritised for places. The change would be the inclusion of the Beechcroft St. Paul’s Primary School catchment area into a single joint catchment for Holy Trinity and Conifers Primary Schools. This change would ensure that those children in Beechcroft St. Paul’s Primary School catchment would also be in the catchment area for both Holy Trinity Primary and Conifers Primary Schools. There would be no change in the current likelihood of Conifers and Holy Trinity families being able to access places at their catchment school. This will ensure that once Beechcroft St. Paul’s is full, those families in Beechcroft St Paul’s catchment would have a catchment link to both Conifers and Holy Trinity.

3. Additionalinformation

When oversubscription occurs the children who are refused places tend to be those who live the furthest away from the preferred school (unless they have an established sibling link). Children in Beechcroft St. Paul’s and St. John’s can regularly be in this position.

These proposals should ensure easier access to local school places for children across Weymouth and will also ensure that those schools that have low numbers in-catchment are better able to sustain their growth.

The Local Authority’s admissions policy is based on the principle of local schools for local children. No child is guaranteed a place at the preferred school but it is always a concern when children are refused a place at their catchment area school, particularly when this becomes a trend. The Local Authority is not able to simply provide additional accommodation at the catchment area school, particularly when neighbouring schools have available places. It must explore alternative options.

4.Summaryofproposals

StAndrews’sPrimarySchool/StJohn’sPrimarySchoolIncrease the size of St. Andrew’s Primary School catchment to include the Overcombe area of St John’s catchment area as well as housing east of Louviers Road. (SeeMap1).

ExpansionofBincombeValleyPrimarySchoolIncrease the size of Bincombe Valley Primary School catchment to include the area that is currently proposed as the Littlemoor Urban extension catchment area. (SeeMap1).

RadipolePrimarySchool/StJohn’sPrimarySchoolRadipole Community Primary catchment area to include the catchment area of St. John’s Primary School. The catchment for St. John’s Primary would remain the same. (SeeMap2).

ConifersPrimarySchool/HolyTrinityPrimarySchool/BeechcroftStPaul’sPrimarySchoolThe catchment areas of Conifers Primary School and Holy Trinity Primary School to include that of Beechcroft St. Paul’s Primary School in a joint catchment area. Beechcroft St. Paul’s Primary School’s catchment will remain unchanged. (SeeMap3).

5.Additionalinformation

The change in catchment area arrangements is not intended to deny parents the right to express a preference for alternative schools. Parents would still be able to express a preference for other schools if that is their wish. Should any parent apply for their child to attend alternative schools then the normal conditions in respect of parental preference applications and transport support would continue to apply.

6.Consultationprocess

o Before finalising the proposals, the Local Authority is seeking the views of:

• The Governing Bodies/Staff/Parents of the schools concerned,• The Governing Bodies of neighbouring schools,• The residents of the area affected,• Local County Councillors,• Relevant District/Town/Parish Councils,• Pre-school groups,• Salisbury/Plymouth Diocesan Boards of Education

o Parents and residents are invited to complete the Response Form enclosed at the back of this document. This document can be also be accessed via the following website: https://www.dorsetforyou.com/393425 under School Admissions Consultation Documents and at https://consultationtracker.dorsetforyou.com Parents are asked to complete one form only irrespective of how many children they might have attending the schools. Forms must be returned as soon as possible but by Friday,27February2015at the very latest.

o Written observations upon the ways forward are also invited.

o All views expressed will be taken into account, but it should be emphasised that the Response Forms do NOT represent a ballot.

o The Director for Children’s Services will make the final decision unless the consultation raises contentious issues, in which case the proposals will be referred to County Council’s Committee process during April 2015.

o If the proposals are approved the following have the right to refer an objection to the Schools Adjudicator (by 30 June 2015);

o Parents – if they consider that the arrangements do not comply with the law or the mandatory requirements of the Code of Practice on School Admissions,

o Admission authorities – on any aspect of the admission arrangements for a school for which they are not the admission authority,

o Governing Bodies of neighbouring schools to the admission arrangements of other schools within the relevant area (although they may not object to the admission arrangements for other community/ voluntary controlled schools whose admission arrangements have been determined by the local authority).

Ifapproved,theimplementationdatefortherevisedarrangementswillbeSeptember2016.

Map1NewProposedAreas

Map2

ExpandedCatchmentAreaRadipolePrimarySchoolandStJohn’sPrimarySchools

Map3

JointCatchmentAreaBeechcroftStPaul’s/Conifers/HolyTrinityPrimarySchools

ResponseformComments

Please indicate your preference by placing a tick in the appropriate box below, and comment if you wish, in support of your preference, overleaf.

StAndrew’sPrimarySchool/StJohn’sPrimarySchoolI DO support proposal to increase the size of St. Andrew’s Primary School’s catchment to include the Overcombe Area as well as housing east of Louviers Road.

IDONOTsupport proposal to increase the size of St. Andrew’s CE VA Primary Schools catchment to include the Overcombe Area as well as housing east of Louviers Road.

ExpansionofBincombeValleyPrimarySchoolI DOsupport the proposal to increase the size of Bincombe Valley Primary School’s catchment area to include the area that is currently proposed as the Littlemoor Urban Extension

I DONOTsupport the proposal to increase the size of Bincombe Valley Primary School’s catchment area to include the area that is currently proposed as the Littlemoor Urban Extension

RadipolePrimarySchool/StJohn’sPrimarySchoolI DO support the proposal to alter the catchment area of Radipole Primary School to include the catchment area of St John’s Primary School.

I DONOT support the proposal to alter the catchment area of Radipole Primary School to include the catchment area of St John’s Primary School.

ConifersPrimarySchool/HolyTrinityPrimarySchool/BeechcroftStPaul’sPrimarySchoolI DO support the proposal to alter the catchment areas of Conifers Primary School and Holy Trinity Primary School to include Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School to form a joint catchment area.

I DONOTsupport the proposal to alter the catchment areas of Conifers Primary School and Holy Trinity Primary School to include Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School to form a joint catchment area.

Alternative option

ChangestoCatchmentAreas–WeymouthArea

Tick

Tick

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Pleasealsoprovidethefollowingdetails:

My child(ren) currently attend(s):-

*I am a parent of (a) pre-school child(ren)

*I am a resident

*Other (staff, governor, etc)

Please state:

Signed:

Name(inblockcapitals):

Address:

*Pleasedeleteifnotapplicable Pleasetickifapplicable

Pleasecompletetheformandreturnto:

Director for Childrens’ Services (Ref: ED/ Weymouth)

Dorset County Council, County Hall, Colliton park

Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XJ

Either direct, or via your local school by:

Friday,27February2015

e-mailaddress:SchoolsBuildingProjects@dorsetcc.gov.uk

This publication can be made available in audio tape, large print and Braille, or alternative languages on request.

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