Richmond & Twickenham Times: Orleans Infant School expansion plans 'ripped up'
Plans to expand a Twickenham school to try to ease the primary place shortage have been scrapped, it has been claimed.
A governor at Orleans Infant School said Richmond Council had ripped up a plan to turn the school and St Stephen’s CE Junior School into two-class primary schools – but the borough’s education boss would only confirm the authority is considering its options.
Comments
Will it now finally dawn on any local politician that a new school in North St Margarets is required? Let's start playing a longer game on this.
Meantime, it is election year, so please note if you want my vote!
Ben Driver on 2010-01-21 15:39:58 +0000This fantasy was directly dealt with in the FAQ issued last June:
'Why did the Council not build a primary school on the old Brunel University site in North St Margarets?
Before Brunel University sold the site to Octagon in 2002, we were informed that the cost of buying sufficient space on the site for a school would have been £15 million. That cost, even before the cost of constructing a new school (between £5-10 million) was factored in, was prohibitive. It was also felt that as the site was so close to the borough boundary with Hounslow, building a school there would have provided as many places for Hounslow children as it would have done for Richmond children.'
www.richmond.gov.uk/st_stephens_faqs_june_2009.pdf
It seems that the education authority is pursuing its alternative plan from 'Primary Strategy for Change, June 2008' [p.25]: Orleans to expand to become a 4-form entry infants school and a new site to be found in central Twickenham for the extra junior places. No change at St Stephen's.
www.richmond.gov.uk/primary_strategy_for_change_june_2008-2.pdf
Chris Squire on 2010-01-25 09:48:31 +0000Chris, have you heard that Orleans infant will now be taking 4 classes (120 pupils) in September 2010. We live north of the A316 and the extra 30 spaces may allow us to have a place for our daughter at the local school. Any information/word on the grapevine that you have would be very helpful. Many thanks, Will.
Will on 2010-02-02 19:13:34 +0000I don't know what the plan is for this September. I agree that parents urgently need to know how many places there will be and who will get them.
Two suggestions:
Philip Morgan is in the hot seat as both ward councillor and an Orleans Infants' governor; ask him: Cllr.PMorgan@richmond.gov.uk .
Cllr Malcolm Eady [ cllr.meady@richmond.gov.uk] is Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Education; he makes the decisions.
The Council's 'Consultation on primary school expansions' is at: www.richmond.gov.uk/consultation_on_primary_school_expansions It has just announced a formal consultation on the creation of Stanley Primary School; there is no word about our schools.
Chris Squire on 2010-02-05 10:40:21 +0000In a letter to parents today, the Head Teacher of Orleans says that (i) St Stephen's have confirmed that they will not be participating in the restructure and so, clearly, that is off but (ii) that Orleans's offer to the Council to host four Reception classes in October remains open.
Will this (rightly or wrongly) be an Election issue in May, I wonder?
David bertram on 2010-02-05 16:36:32 +0000The letters from both schools are at: www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/richmond/schools/ois/web/ourschool/2form-consultation
The key sentence is in the Orleans' letter: ' . . The Borough is working on new proposals to provide additional school places in the area. However, discussions with third parties are ongoing and the Borough is thus unable to notify parents of the exact way forward at the moment. '
Stay tuned for further announcements.
Chris Squire on 2010-02-05 19:42:31 +0000Add a comment