Two neighbouring Bedfordshire local authorities hope a joint approach will reap benefits as part of educational changes locally to cater for hundreds more pupils.
Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council are cooperating over future school provision in an area of growing demand for places.
“It’s our first time considering this area,” explained CBC’s Schools for the Future programme director Sue Archer presenting a report on the Cranfield cluster to its children’s services overview and scrutiny committee.
“We’ve been doing viability assessments since April. Lower schools are to become a primary and the middle schools change to secondaries.
“We’ve been working closely with Bedford because there’s so much cross-border travel by children between our schools and theirs.
“Bedford borough has opened its consultation and there’s plenty of close cooperation with schools over a remodel from three- to two-tier education.
“Our plans contain more than 600 new places, as we predict increased demand. We’re doing online and face-to-face consultations during the next six weeks.”
Conservative Biggleswade South cllr Mark Foster, who chairs the committee, asked: “What options are we considering to alleviate a lack of space at small schools?”
Ms Archer replied: “There are a key set of regulations from the Department for Education (DfE), which emerged in 2012 linked to the Olympic Games, to protect outside playing space.
“Any developments on a school site building on outside space, such as a pathway, a flowerbed or a proper pitch, need to seek DfE approval.
“If we build on land and don’t have sufficient space, the simple way is to turn grass into a multi-use games area (MUGA). This enables use throughout the academic year, which the DfE is content with and we’re happy to progress.”
Conservative Cranfield and Marston Moretaine councillor Sue Clark said: “One of the benefits is the big increase in sorely needed school places for Cranfield and Marston.
“The two lower schools are absolutely full to capacity and access to places is a real concern for families moving into the area. This should iron out some of the cross-border travel.
“Expansion of some schools sites will raise concerns around parking and access. Two or three are in difficult locations at the end of a close. Some of those issues will be challenging and we’ll need to work those through carefully.
“While it’s a Bedford borough school there are comments about the future of Marston Vale School in Stewartby,” she added. “That’s a separate consultation Bedford is running.
“But children from Marston Lower School go there, so families will want to know about its future and how any changes will be handled.”
Views are needed on Holywell School becoming a secondary and on future options for the Shelton Lower School site, which is currently retained to support children at risk of permanent exclusion.
Cranfield Academy (St Paul’s and St Peter’s), Houghton Conquest Lower, Marston Moreteyne School (Church End and Forest End) and Thomas Johnson Lower are becoming primary schools.
Bedford is consulting on two-tier proposals for Broadmead Lower, Wootton Lower, Marston Vale Middle and Wootton Upper.
by Euan Duncan
Local Democracy Reporter
