Council to review school catchment boundaries

Last month, West Berkshire Council revealed it underestimated pupil demand in the area by 17 per cent last September, an issue which resulted in an increase in class sizes, with urban areas such as Newbury, Thatcham and Theale said to be most affected.
The executive portfolio holder for education at the council, Irene Neill (Con, Aldermaston), this week said action was necessary as the current boundaries had not been reviewed “for a number of years.”
She said: “The project will look at pupil numbers - both current and predicted - plus all other relevant issues which might cause imbalances.
“The project will review the existing [catchment areas] and ensure that they are still fit for purpose and identify any amendments where there is a strong case to do so.”
She added that developments such as those at Sandleford and the racecourse, which will see 3,500 new homes built in the district, were not a concern because pupil demand had been considered when planning permission was granted, but rather smaller scale developments in recent years and a shift in behaviour which has seen more families remain in urban areas rather than relocating to villages may have caused the surge in pupil numbers.
She would not be drawn on any schools that were of particular concern, a matter which she said was too early to depict and would be highlighted through any public consultation.
Any changes, she stressed, would be put to public consultation for approval and at the very earliest would come into play in September 2015.
“Parents have been informed via school newsletters and early years settings so that they can contribute to the identification of the scope,” she said. “All stakeholders, including parents, will be kept informed as the project progresses.
“This project follows on from our commitment in the schools place strategy to ensure we have enough school places in the right geographical locations to meet parental preference.
“This is another step in the process of the council working to meet the needs of its residents.”
A decision to appoint asset consultancy firm EC Harris to calculate future pupil figures on its behalf has now gone out to public consultation until July 22.
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