The Council has revealed more information about the new primary academy school in Fir Vale at a recent drop-in meeting held at Burngreave Library.
Details of the school have been released in the Council's ‘Invitation Document’. This states the new school will be a “mainstream, mixed sex, primary school offering 60 places per year across the primary age range”.
Primary Places
From its opening year, in September 2014, the school will offer 60 Reception places, with 30 places in years one, two, three and four and 15 places in years five and six. The school will eventually provide 60 places per year across all seven year groups – a total of 420 places.
Members of the Council's Inclusion and Learning Service, told the Messenger that they anticipated the extra places provided by a new school in the area will be taken up by children of local families due to the increased birth rate.
There is also a demand for primary school places across the older age ranges, due to an increase in newly arriving families with older children. These children are expected to fill the places offered in year one to six.
This differs from the situation in the proposed new school at Shirecliffe, where the school will be opened to just two reception forms of 30 places each in its first year. The size of the school will grow to 60 places per year across the primary age range as the first group of children flow through the school.
New location plan
The Council also revealed an updated plan drawing of the proposed site for the school, which will occupy the Skinnerthorpe and Bagley Road area. The new plan is intended to show the area of land that could be taken up with the new building, outdoor areas and playing fields.
This diagram is based on the requirements of a typical primary school, and could be adjusted in response to local need or desire.
Council staff at the drop-in said they were listening to all comments about the school. They told the Messenger that these comments could influence the final details of the project, suggesting views on traffic problems, access to outdoor spaces in the area as well as how the Academy should be run, would be taken into account.
Other regeneration?
The plan shows a small area remaining on the site, which has yet to be given a use. It is proposed that this area will be up for development following community consultation, but this will not begin until the the school plan is more developed.
Two more dates are set for drop-in meetings with local residents. The Council will continue to gather local views and comments on the school, with a focus on how residents and parents would like the Academy to be run.
Local comments
Following the deadline for applicants to run the Academy on the 21st January 2013, the Council will forward any applications it has received along with a report setting out their ‘preferred option’ which will include local residents' comments, to the Secretary of State, who will make the final decision on who runs the school.
Once this decision is made, there will be a separate opportunity for residents to comment on the planning application for the building.
Comment forms on how the Academy should be run, are available at Burngreave Library, Firth Park Library and Pakistan Advice and Community Association, where they can also be submitted to the Council until late January.
More information
More information on the New Schools for Fir Vale and Shirecliffe can be found on the Council website at:
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/about-us/consultation/new-primary-schoo ls.html
The Messenger has reported on the development of the new schools here: