Schools to merge in city shake-up

A NEW school is to be created from two primaries which are set to merge in Knottingley as part of a shake-up of education across the Wakefield area.

Members of Wakefield Council’s Cabinet will meet next week to approve outline proposals for one school to be created on the current site of Simpson’s Lane Junior and Infants School and for the school buildings and land at Throstle Farm Junior and Infants to be declared surplus to requirements and sold off.

Last year councillors agreed to merge both schools, in the Knottingley area, as part as a drive across Wakefield and the Five Towns area to reduce surplus school places.

There are currently 5,000 surplus places across the area which the local authority says costs the local authority 5m a year.

Wakefield Council has said the aim of the proposals was to reduce the number of partly empty schools, create new and improved schools and free cash so it could be invested in schools.

A report to be considered by members of the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday says: “In the context of the council’s ambition for children and young people there is a need to look closely at schools with high levels of surplus, deficit budgets and an inability to meet the needs of its pupils.

“The proposals for amalgamations and closures will result in a more efficient use of resources across all schools.”

The site of Simpson’s Lane Junior and Infants, in Sycamore Avenue, has been chosen as the preferred location of the new school because it is centrally located.

Existing buildings would be remodelled as part of a 4.6m project.

Council officers are recommending that members back proposals to shut Throstle Farm because they say it is in a more isolated location.

If members approve the proposals public talks will be held before any final decision is made about where any new school should be built. A further report will come before the authority’s Cabinet before any final decision is taken.

It is expected that the start date for any new school would be September 2012, but the works required for the buildings are not expected to be completed until September 2013.

The report to members adds: “The school will cater for children living in the Simpson’s Lane and Warwick Estate area and those who currently attend Simpson’s Lane JI and Throstle Farm JI schools.

“The school will provide 315 full time places and 39 part time nursery places for boys and girls. The planned admissions number for each age group will be 45 and the age range will be three to 11 years.”

The establishment of a new school will require the creation of a temporary governing body which will be responsible for staff appointments in the new school prior to its opening. If an employee fails to secure a job in the new school, efforts will be made to find them a job elsewhere in a bid to try to avoid compulsory redundancies.

The following schools are also involved in the review and are a different stages of the process: Pontefract Chequerfield Infants; Pontefract Willow Park Junior; Oyster Park Infants; Oyster Park Junior; Ferrybridge Infants; Roundhill Junior; Airedale Infants; Townville Infants; Airedale Junior; Clifton Infants, Horbury; and St Peters Junior, Horbury.

Many of the schools need investment to modernise facilities, a report to members of Wakefield Council’s Cabinet warned last year.

The report added: “The proposed closures and amalgamation of schools may result in vacant buildings.These will be managed in order to minimise the potential for vandalism and risk to the public.”

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