Plans for Lambourn school unveiled

School authorities fear the current, dilapidated appearance of the building in Edwards Hill is having an adverse effect on education and pupil numbers.
In their pitch to planners, the project agents state: “Generally, the existing school has an unattractive appearance and the building fabric is visibly aging. Both the internal and external appearance of the school therefore encourages low parental aspirations and has been identified as a deterrent to employing staff with desirable educational qualifications.
“First impressions of the school are not favourable with the building under need of repair and this is clearly visible to parents and visitors.”
The main school was built in 1935 and was modified in 1987, and very little work has been done since.
The school is currently have trouble attracting and retaining children from the village and beyond.
As a result, it is claimed, it is necessary to refurbish and extend one of the school blocks to create an integrated lower school near the main building, with a more clearly visible main entrance.
“This,” claim the agents, “will provide a unified school.”
Currently the existing layout does not allow any monitoring of visitors arriving and leaving and staff have to leave their offices to let people into the building.
The main building also suffers from damp.
The application concludes: “The improved facilities at the school will create a stimulating environment, where teachers can work together in teams to help ensure that children can enjoy their learning experience and where individual learning needs can be well-met.”
However one nearby resident has already expressed concern in a letter to planners.
Samantha Silvester of Sheep Fairway, which shares an entrance with the school, said: “We are all fed up with the amount of traffic that overspills from the school car park into our road, often blocking our drives. My concern is that if the car park is out of action, the impact on our road will be untenable.
“I am also concerned about the amount of heavy plant vehicles and how they will impact on our road, for example access, start times, etcetera. We need to know when this work may commence and what sort of disruption to expect, please.”
No date has been set for a decision.
Meanwhile comments, for or against, can be lodged by going to West Berkshire Council website’s planning ‘view or comment’ section and using the reference 13/01100/FUL