Plans for extensions to Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) have been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) planning department.
The proposed scheme involves the construction of a new sixth form centre (A) at the south-western end of the school’s curved frontage plus the addition of a dance studio (B) and further changing rooms (C) at the rear and side of the existing sports hall.
The proposed sixth form centre would cater for up to 200 students in the 16-19 age group. Documentation supporting the planning application predicts that, without the new centre at BSCS, the deficit in provision for post-16 education within the local ‘Group 3’ schools (BSCS, Patchway Community College and Filton High School) might range from 51 to 195 places in the academic year 2011/2012. The lower figure is calculated using the current ‘Group 3’ stay-on rate of 32%, while the upper figure reflects the highest South Gloucestershire stay-on rate of 70% seen at Castle School, Thornbury.
The school states that it would like to have the sixth form centre up and running by September 2010, so that the current Year 9 students (the oldest currently at BSCS) will have continuity of provision when they reach Year 12, should they so desire. The exact combination of post-16 courses to be offered at BSCS will be determined in consultation with other members of the Concorde Partnership, a larger conglomeration of schools that includes Castle School, Marlwood School, New Siblands Special School and Filton College, in addition to the two other ‘Group 3’ schools. Offerings are expected to include BSCS’s specialisms in Performing Arts and Modern Languages as well as the new Diploma courses being rolled out nationwide from September 2008.
The proposed dance studio is thought to be intended to support the school’s specialism in the performing arts, while the additional changing rooms are said to be needed to support the additional demand from sixth form students and allow for greater community usage.
Comments on the planning application may be made by following the ‘Comment on Application’ link at the top of the case file page on the SGC website. The deadline for comments is given as 6th August. The SGC target date for a decision on the application is 2nd October.
Obtaining planning permission is a prerequisite for applying to the Learning and Skills Council for funds to implement the proposed developments.
