Artist’s impressions of the proposed new ‘primary phase’ building at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) were made available at consultation events held at the school last week.
The secondary school, which is part of the Olympus Academy Trust, is currently staging a public consultation on its proposal to become an ‘all through’ school for the 4-19 age range. Funding for the project was secured last July, when it was confirmed that South Gloucestershire Council had made a successful bid to the government’s £982 million Targeted Basic Need (TBN) programme, which is intended to provide more school places in areas of high demand.
The new primary age range facility is planned to open in September 2015, with a single form entry into the Reception class only.
The artist’s impressions and plans exhibited at last week’s meetings show the new ‘primary phase’ building located on an area of land that is currently used for overflow car parking and sporting activities.
Speaking at one of last week’s meetings, BSCS executive headteacher Dave Baker explained that the overflow car park would be relocated and any sporting facilities displaced would be replaced elsewhere on the BSCS site.
With the consultation ongoing until 28th February, the school has published a list of ‘frequently asked questions’ (and answers) that address a range of concerns raised so far, including the relative merits of expanding provision primary or secondary provision in the town, primary age admissions policy, after-school childcare provision, the effect on house prices in the immediate area, traffic congestion and car parking, the possibility of other primary schools joining the Olympus Academy Trust and whether there will be any scope for expanding the primary provision to two form entry at some point.
For details of the consultation and how to respond, see:
Proposed New Primary Phase (BSCS)
Feedback from the consultation will be considered by the directors of the Olympus Academy Trust in March, after which it is expected that a final ‘business case’ will be submitted to the funding agency and a formal planning application made to South Gloucestershire Council.
Subject to obtaining all the necessary approvals, contractors would then start work on the BSCS site during the summer holidays.
Photo 1 (top): View from south.
Photo 2: View from west (Fiddlers Wood Lane).
N.B. Appearance and materials of the new building may change as the design is developed for a planning application.
I love the way in the FAQ’s they have provided that they skirt around the traffic congestion question. Saying that the pupils will all be local, like the secondary pupils are. They all live within a mile radius and should not need to be driven to school. Do they actually look outside the school at the start of the day and the end of the day? We all know that there are problems at other local primary schools with parents parking in streets. They all could walk, but choose to drive because they’re maybe on their route to work, or it may be a bit wet. I can foresee real problems when this primary phase opens, but can not see the school or council doing a thing about it.
The Olympus Academy Trust has now published its consultation report [PDF].