Expansion of Windsor first schools - six-week consultation starts

Consultation begins next week (Monday February 25) on plans to provide more first school places in Windsor.

Parents, staff and governors of all Windsor first schools will be asked their views on proposals to expand one or more of the schools by an extra 30 pupils per year group to meet the predicted increased demand for places as the national birth rate continues to rise.

Numbers of children needing first school places in Windsor are expected to increase substantially from 2009 onwards with nearly 550 children needing places in Year 1 by 2012 compared with 470 in 2007.

The schools identified as suitable for expansion are:
· Alexander First School – which could be expanded from 26 current admissions to 30, 45 or 60 places per year group
· Clewer Green First School – could be expanded from 38 to 45 places per year group
· Dedworth Green First School – could be expanded from 30 to 45 or 60 places per year group
· Oakfield First School – could be expanded from 45 to 60 places per year group.

Discussions have already taken place with the headteachers and governors of each of the schools and all have agreed that consultation on the issue should go ahead.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for children's services, said:  "We have looked very carefully at the predictions for the rise in numbers and realise that this is going to have a significant impact on the demand for school places in Windsor.

"If we want to be able to offer first school places to all Windsor children who want them in the future we have to do something about it now – and expansion of one or more of these four schools is a sensible and practical option.

"Many of the Windsor schools are on very restricted sites, and therefore would not lend themselves to any expansion.  The schools we are consulting on are the ones we feel are the obvious choices – but we need to know what parents, teachers, governors and local community groups feel about these proposals.  So I would urge as many people as possible to take part and give us their views."

The consultation document – which details the proposed expansion measures for each of the four schools – is currently being distributed to parents, staff and governors through the schools, as well as to local community organisations. Copies of the document are also available from CSC reception in both the Town Hall, Maidenhead, and York House, Windsor.

Responses should be addressed to Windsor First Schools Consultation, Room 215, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 1RF or by emailing windsorfirstschools@rbwm.gov.uk. The document can also be downloaded from the council's website at www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/consultation_current.htm

The closing date for comments is Friday April 4.

The results of the consultation will be reported to cabinet on May 22.  If cabinet agrees the proposals, statutory notices will be published with a further six-week consultation period followed by a final decision in August on whether to proceed.