Decision details

That the recommendations of the Primary School Development Plan Working Party be endorsed, taking into account the views of the PDS Committee, and the Director CYP be authorised to undertake consultation with schools and other key agencies on the proposed temporary  and permanent expansion of places and to implement the proposals where feasible as set out below:

Planning Area 1 - Wards:  Crystal Palace, Penge and Cator, Clock House

The Published Admission Number for Churchfields Primary School be increased from 30 to 60 places.

Malcolm Primary School increase its intake from 30 to 60 places for a further year.

St Anthony’s Primary School be approached with a view to accommodating a temporary additional form of entry at reception.

Officers approach other schools in this planning area to consider the feasibility of admitting an additional form of entry, i.e. an additional 30 places in 2012 or 2013.

Planning Area 2 - Wards:  Copers Cope, Kelsey and Eden Park

That the Local Authority pursue discussions with the Governors of Bromley Road Infant and Worsley Bridge Junior Schools regarding the future organisation of the two schools.

Planning Area 3 - Wards:  Shortlands, West Wickham, Hayes and Coney Hall

Officers approach schools in this planning area to consider the feasibility of admitting an additional form of entry, i.e. an additional 30 places in 2012 or 2013.

Planning Area 4 - Wards:  Bromley Town, Plaistow and Sundridge, Bickley

Valley Primary School increase its intake from 60 to 90 places for a further year.

The Published Admission Number for Parish Primary School be increased from 60 to 90.

The Local Authority to continue to discuss the feasibility of consolidating St George’s CE Primary school to whole forms of entry.

Planning Area 5 - Wards:  Bromley Common and Keston, Petts Wood and Knoll, Farnborough and Crofton

Southborough Primary School and Keston Primary Schools to be approached with a view to accommodating an extra form of entry, i.e. an additional 30 places on a temporary basis.

Planning Area 6 - Wards:  Chislehurst, Mottingham, Chislehurst North

The Local Authority to continue to pursue discussions with the Governors and Diocese of Rochester regarding relocation and expansion of Chislehurst Church of England School.

Edgebury Primary School be approached with a view to accommodating an extra form of entry, i.e. an additional 30 places on a temporary basis for September 2013.

Planning Area 7 - Wards:  Cray Valley West and Cray Valley East

Midfield and Leesons Primary School be approached with a view to one of the schools accommodating an extra form of entry, i.e. an additional 30 places on a temporary or permanent basis, dependent on local demand.

Planning Area 8 - Wards:  Orpington, Chelsfield and Pratts Bottom

No current changes to school organisation or size in this planning area

Planning Area 9 - Wards:  Biggin Hill and Darwin

No current changes to school organisation or size in this planning area.

The strategic planning of primary school places and school organisation in the Borough is driven through the Primary Schools’ Development Plan. The Primary School Development Plan Working Party met on 5^th January 2012 to review the Plan and consider pupil population projections which indicated a continuing demand for reception class places at current levels for the foreseeable future.

The birth-rate has continued to rise from 3400 in 2002 to 4100 in 2010 with a projected pupil roll at primary reception age of between 3600 and 3700 for the remainder of the decade.  The working group concluded that there was likely to be a need for additional forms of entry across the Borough and, taking account of projections for each planning area and other local circumstances, is recommending that the additional capacity required is achieved by both temporary and permanent increases in admissions at a number of schools.