More than £30m is being committed to the reorganisation of several schools in the Biggleswade area under a local authority scheme.
A consultation process has been held over Central Bedfordshire’s Schools for the Future programme for the Biggleswade cluster.
A report was presented to the local authority’s executive to seek authority for the capital expenditure required for planned changes.
These are for:
- Edward Peake Middle to become a secondary school;
- Wrestlingworth Lower to be a split site infant/junior with
Dunton; - Dunton Lower to be a split site infant/junior with
Wrestlingworth; - St Andrews East Lower and St Andrews West Lower to both be primary schools;
- Sutton Lower to also become a primary.
A move to a primary and secondary model of education will align Central Bedfordshire with the rest of the country, as historically a three-tier system of schooling has operated locally, said the report to councillors.
“This will help staff recruitment and retention, school viability, improve educational attainment and provide a clearer pathway for parents, carers and their children.”
Conservative Cranfield and Marston Moretaine councillor Sue Clark explained: “The feasibility studies have been concluded and give us the reassurance the changes proposed can be delivered at the sites.
“They also give us an early indication of the likely cost. This is estimated to be around £32m, of which £14m will be met through housing infrastructure funding (HIF).”
Conservative Biggleswade North Councillor Ian Bond said: “I’m delighted we’re moving forward from three-tier to two-tier and the HIF money has been secured for Biggleswade. I look forward to all of this being implemented.”
Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny expressed delight that Dunton and Wrestlingworth remain on their sites, after local opposition to a potential switch to Biggleswade.
“There was concern about transport between the two sites, so to what extent has the council subsequently looked into the options which would help parents with children at both sites, or where lessons would require pupils to move between the two sites?” he asked.
Executive member for families, education and children councillor Clark replied: “I’m glad we came up with a solution for Dunton and Wrestlingworth which addressed people’s concerns and enabled both schools to remain open.
“On transport, some parents have raised concerns about the logistics of getting from one school to the other.
“There may need to be staggered start times or some kind of shuttle bus arrangement. As this is developed, that’s expected to emerge through the operational planning and transport plans.”
Schools for the Future programme director Sue Archer said: “It’s something which will vary from year-to-year between the schools, as the age range and the family shape changes.
“There’s a CBC transport policy to ensure we can get children to school, so we’ll have to address this on a case-by-case basis.
“But we’ll be talking to the schools and the diocese about this, and taking examples from other places with a similar arrangement around how they make it work for the children and families.”
The executive approved several recommendations including the capital expenditure.
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