Hampshire News
Desire for new school is a primary concern
1:00pm Saturday 28th January 2012
A RADICAL plan for a new primary school in Basingstoke was discussed by parents at a public meeting.
Around 15 people went to Rooksdown Community Centre, where the Rooksdown Primary School Trust explained its idea of building a Free School for 420 pupils.
A need for a primary school in the area has already been identified by Hampshire County Council, but Simon Bound, manager of Rooksdown Community Centre, who is leading the project, claims bosses are “dragging their feet” over the matter.
The closest school for Rooksdown children is 1.4miles away.
At the moment, children living in Rooksdown have to attend schools in either Winklebury or Popley. Mr Bound said the trigger point to build a school in Rooksdown was 800 houses, and the area now has 1,200. The Free School would have 14 classes, from Reception to Year 6.
He now has until February 24 to apply to the Secretary of State for Education to build it on two hectares of land off Park Prewett Road, which would be state-funded with cash coming straight to the school – cutting out Hampshire County Council.
Mr Bound said the trust now needs support from at least 30 parents of children who would start in the reception year.
The application will first be submitted to the New Schools Network before February 3, a charity set up to support groups applying to build a Free School, who will offer advice on the content.
Michelle Biggs, a 34-year-old mother-of-one from Spoonwood Close and trust member, admitted: “It’s a very tight timescale.”
Mr Bound said if the application is approved, the trust will appoint a headteacher and project manager, with the aim of opening in September 2013.
Mr Bound said initial enquiries suggest the Free School will cost £4million to build– which is half what the county council thinks it will cost to build a primary school.
The trust has worked with Basingstoke architects, design ACB, who have come up with four possible designs for the building.
Danny Sullivan, a retired primary school teacher and former director of education for the diocese of Oxford, responsible for 280 schools, lives in Watertower Way, and joined the trust to offer his expert knowledge.
He said the main priority was to prove parents want the school, through a petition and questionnaires and to appoint an ambitious headteacher.
Rooksdown borough councillor Karen Cherrett said good teachers would be attracted because: “People are looking for something different and want that community school experience.”
Mr Bound added: “We can make this happen. If I think I can make a difference, I will go for it and encourage as many people as possible to join me.”
'Complicated to predict pupil numbers'
In response, Councillor Roy Perry, Hampshire’s executive lead member for children’s services, said predicting pupil numbers is very complicated. Cllr Perry added Rooksdown had been built up beyond the level that was supposed to trigger new provision, but the problem was the excess places elsewhere.
He said: “It’s a complicated matter to predict pupil numbers. They can fluctuate. When planning permission was granted for 1,300 dwellings, we indicated a need to reserve a site for a school. The 800 was the trigger point and that confirms the need for a school, but at the same time there are surplus places and other schools can meet the need.”
Cllr Perry said central Government did not like the idea of there being surplus school places and added: “To build a primary school, we are talking about £8million. It’s a question of getting funding from central Government.”
The education chief, who is a Conservative, said the county council administration was open-minded about Free Schools, which have been put forward as an option by fellow Tory Michael Gove, the Government’s education secretary.
Another consultation is being held on Sunday between 2pm and 4pm at the Community Centre.