Fir Vale Primary Academy update

Story: Rohan Francis

More information about the proposed Primary Academy School in Fir Vale was revealed by the Council at community meetings in December.

Primary Places

From its opening 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 they anticipated the extra school places will be taken up by local families due to the increased birth rate. There is also a demand for primary school places across the older age ranges in Fir Vale. These children are expected to fill the places offered in years one to six.

This differs from the situation in the proposed new school at Shirecliffe, where the school will be launched with 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 it.

New location plan

The Council also revealed an updated plan of the site for the school, on the Skinnerthorpe and Bagley Road area. This plan shows the area of land that could be taken up by the new building, outdoor areas and playing fields, based on the requirements of a typical primary school. It could be adjusted in response to local wishes.

Council staff at the drop-in said they were listening to all comments about the school. They told the Messenger these comments could influence the final details of the project, suggesting that views on traffic problems, access to outdoor spaces or how the Academy is run, would all be taken into account.

Other regeneration?

The plan shows a small area remaining on the site, which has yet to be designated a use. It is proposed that the development of this area will be decided through community consultation later.

Local comments

Residents’ comments on how the Academy should be run were collected at local Libraries, the Pakistan Advice and Community Association and from parents of local schools.

The Council will consider the expressions of interest in running the Academy they had received by the 21st January, combined with the comments, and form a ‘Preferred Option’. This will then be forwarded to the Secretary of State who will make the final decision on who runs the school around the end of March. Once this decision is made, there will be a separate opportunity for residents to comment on the planning application for the building.

More information

More information on the new Academy Primaries can be found on the Council's website. A report on the community discussions and details of which organisations have expressed an interest in running the schools will be posted at the same website soon:

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/about-us/consultation/new-primary-school s.html