Proposed relocation of Wilby Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School to the Glenvale Park Development (new school), Wellingborough

Overview

This formal consultation is about a proposed primary school relocation opportunity to move into a brand-new school building.

Following North Northamptonshire Council receiving two completed expressions of interest applications to relocate, the Panel met following a robust interview process and recommended that Wilby CE VA Primary School relocates to the Glenvale Park site.

Wilby CE VA Primary School:

• Provides education for children aged 4 to 11 years
• Wilby CE VA Primary School is a Church of England village primary school located in the village of Wilby
• The distance from Wilby CE VA Primary School to Glenvale Park development is 2.4 miles
• The vast majority of pupils reside in Wellingborough
• Wilby CE VA Primary School is a Local Authority Maintained School
• Wilby CE VA Primary School currently has a Good Ofsted rating

Background

The Glenvale Park site is located in Wellingborough, to the north of the town. Once complete there will be circa 3,000 homes. As part of the infrastructure and Section 106 (S106) proposals for the Sustainble Urban Extension (SUE), a 2-form entry, 60 places per year group, primary school was proposed to meet increased demand and serve the local community. The school building construction completion date is August 2023.

As part of the annual strategic Pupil Place Planning exercise undertaken in January 2023, it became clear that, due to demographic changes, there would be insufficient demand to support the school opening until September 2025 or beyond.

Based on this position work has been undertaken to assess the options for the new school to ensure:

• The local community has access to sufficient school places
• No schools are disadvantaged
• Available assets are used as effectively as possible

The Proposal

This consultation seeks your views on the proposal that Wilby CE VA Primary School relocates to the new school at Glenvale Park, opening at the start of the new school year in September 2024. There will be no change to the current arrangements regarding the provision of SEN places at Wilby CE VA Primary School.

What is the relocation of an existing school?

A relocation of an existing school to a new school building means that the whole school including all children, all staff members and all fixtures and fittings and resources will be relocated to the new school. This move will be planned and managed to ensure that there is no disruption to learning.

Advantages of relocating an existing school

• There is no need to create additional capacity
• The relocated school will not impact on other schools
• Relocating an exisitng school can be delivered relatively quickly
• If approved by the North Northamptonshire Council Executive, it will be ready to open by September 2024
• The school will bring with it all year groups, rather than filling from year R upwards as would happen for a new school 
• Children from an existing school site will be able to utilise a brand-new building with capacity to expand
• The vacated site can be reutilised for other educational purposes
• A new and purpose-built facility supports improved outcomes for all members of the school community
• It enables the local authority to fulfil its statutory duties to provide sufficiency of places
• The Department for Education (DfE) support this approach

Risks of relocating an existing school

• There may be local opposition to relocating an existing school
• Consideration would have to be given to support existing pupils to access the new site

For further information please read:

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document 
• Equality Screening Assessment 
• Equality Impact Assessment 

Timetable and Next Steps

Below are a couple of photographs of the new school being built at the Glenvale Park development .

Have your say

Please share your views by completing the questionnaire below. All views submitted during the representation period will be considered, including all support for, objections to, and comments on the proposal.

Your feedback will be part of a report with many other people’s feedback, so you will not be personally identified.

You can also access this online questionnaire free of charge at any North Northamptonshire Council library. Please see the Library website or telephone 0300 126 3000 to check opening times.

Alternatively, you can email or send your comments in by post via the contact details below.

If you have any queries, comments or would like a copy of this questionnaire in another format (including paper, easy read or large print) please contact us.

Email address: schoolconsultation.nnc@northnorthants.gov.uk

Postal address:
Consultation: Wilby CE VA Primary School relocation to Glenvale Park site
North Northamptonshire Council
Bowling Green Road
Kettering
NN15 7QX

This consultation will run from Tuesday 5 September 2023 to midnight on Thursday 5 October 2023.

Thank you for helping us by completing this questionnaire.

For information about how consultation and engagement responses are managed, please see the consultation and engagement privacy notice.