Plans for Fir Vale Primary

Story: Rohan Francis | Image: Bond Bryan Architects

Sheffield City Council have applied for planning permission to build a two-storey primary school building on land at Skinnerthorpe Road in Fir Vale.

The Council plans to build two new schools in the city to cope with a rise in numbers of children. The other school will occupy the former Watermead School site off Herries Road.

The school is designed to accommodate 420 pupils with 2 forms of 30 children per year group. The building design will allow for community use of the library, multi-purpose hall and creative studios outside of school hours. The existing access to Skinnerthorpe Road from Barnsley Road will be blocked off for vehicles and pedestrians. A new entrance to Skinnerthorpe Road is planned, allowing pedestrians and vehicles to enter the site from Owler Lane via Heathcote Street.

New nursery

A nursery for 26 children was added to the proposals during the development of the design. We asked the Council to comment on why they needed to make an amendment to the plans when there are nursery places available at both Whiteways and Fir Vale Pre- School. Jayne Ludlam, the Council's Interim Executive Director for Children, Young People and Families told us:

“We want to ensure when building a new school that additional capacity for all children is incorporated into the design.”

The planning application 13/01483/FUL is on the Council's website:

http://publicaccess.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council expects a decision on the plans by 30th July 2013, with remaining properties on Skinnerthorpe Road cleared and building to begin in September. The school is expected to open in September 2014.

School sponsor announced

Sheffield City Council have announced that Oasis Community Learning will run the new schools in Fir Vale and Shirecliffe. Fir Vale Academy and Parkwood Academy applied to run the schools in their areas but neither was successful. Seven organisations expressed an interest in running the schools in January. The Council made a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education, who then decided which one to accept.

The Council said,

“Oasis is a national organisation with a very strong track record in improving outcomes for pupils, supporting local regeneration, and a commitment to working in partnership.”

Oasis Community Learning is part of the Oasis Trust, which is a Christian organisation with a turnover of £92 million. They run 28 academy schools in England including in London, Bristol, Oldham and Scunthorpe, just under half are Christian schools. Oasis have taken on 14 primary schools in the last 9 months, adding to the 12 secondary and 2 primary schools it already runs. Most of its secondary schools have seen significant improvements in their GCSE exam results in the last three years.

Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families said: “It is essential that all children have access to a great school. I’m looking forward to working with the Oasis Team to ensure they deliver this to the children and families in our two new schools and that they develop strong links with the local communities they will serve