School changes

1. School and local authority details

School
Wilby CEVA Primary School
6 Church Lane
Wilby
Northamptonshire
NN8 2UG 
URN: 122033

Local Authority
North Northamptonshire Council
Bowling Green Road
Kettering
Northamptonshire NN15 7QX
LA Number: 940

Relocation address
Glenvale Park Development (new school building)
30 Beaumont Road
Wellingborough
Northamptonshire
NN8 6BP

2. Description of alteration and evidence of demand

The Glenvale Park Development is in Wellingborough and once complete, there will be circa 3,000 homes. As part of the infrastructure and Section 106 (S106) proposals for the Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE), a 2-form entry, 60 place per year group primary school was built to meet increased demand and to serve the local community.

However, 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 was undertaken to assess the options for the new school to ensure that the local community had access to sufficient school places.

Three options were identified and considered:

1. mothball the new school building until demand for places increases
2. repurpose the school building to meet an existing educational need
3. relocate a local school into the newly built school at the Glenvale Park Development

The preference was to progress Option 3.

The expressions of interest initiative was developed and local primary schools were invited to express their interest in relocating to the brand-new school building at the Glenvale Park site. As part of the expressions of interest application process, applicants were required to clearly set out how the relocation would support the existing school community as well as those living in the new Glenvale Park development.

Two expressions of interest were received, and a robust interview took place led by a panel of representatives. A formal 30-day public consultation was undertaken in September 2023, following the panel’s recommendation that Wilby CEVA Primary should be the school that relocates to the Glenvale site.

3. Objectives (including how the proposal would increase educational standards and parental choice)

• to make effective and efficient use of the educational estate to meet the needs of all pupils
• to support children and young people and their families to access high quality, sustainable education facilities that enable the achievement of the best outcomes
• to ensure the delivery of sufficient suitable school places that meet the needs of the community now and in the future
• the relocation of Wilby CEVA Primary School will bring with it all year groups from Reception to Year 6, rather than filling up from Reception upwards, which will meet a broader need created by the new development

4. The effect on other educational institutions within the area

This prescribed alteration is a relocation of a local primary school and not the opening of a new school. It is not expected that the relocation of Wilby CEVA Primary School to the Glenvale Park Development will impact on other local schools.

5. Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long-term value for money will be achieved

NNC will be supporting the FF&E costs as they would with any new build school.  The newly built school at Glenvale Park is energy efficient and will reduce Wilby’s maintenance costs compared to the existing school site. 

The newly built primary school was built by the Glenvale Park developers and as part of the infrastructure and Section 106 (S106) proposals for the Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE). A two-form entry primary school was built to accommodate the pupil yield from the new housing developments.

6. Implementation Plan

Following North Northamptonshire Council Executive’s approval of the relocation of Wilby CEVA Primary School, the following actions will be taken, prior to the planned relocation for September 2024:

• review Wilby CEVA Primary School’s admissions policy 2024 to 25 to encompass the Glenvale Park development and submit a request to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator for a variation for admissions in September 2024
• work with the community to establish the new built primary school’s identity
• review staffing structures to ensure there is capacity to meet the need for effective educational provision across the school
• review the curriculum model to ensure it meets the need of all year groups in the planned class structure
• review the governance model to ensure the most appropriate model is in place to support the future development of the school
• implement capacity development to support the move of Wilby CEVA Primary School to the newly built primary school at Glenvale Park

7. A statement explaining the procedure for responses: support, objections and comments

The public consultation commenced 5 September 2023 and concluded on 5 October 2023. The consultation was supported by the Council’s Consultation and Engagement Team. The structure and design of the consultation set out the proposal and enabled both online and non-digital means of participation in accordance with nationally recognized good practice.

The consultation was hosted on the Council’s Consultation and Engagement Hub website. Councillors, local MPs, Town and Parish Councils, partner organisations, voluntary and community sector organisations and members of both North Northamptonshire Residents’ Panel and the Council’s Register were invited to give their views and asked to promote the consultation to their members, or within their local area where appropriate.

Opportunities to take part in the consultation was also promoted in the local media via press releases. The press release went to 26 newsrooms (local, print and broadcast including the Northants Telegraph and BBC Radio Northampton), plus individual reporters and other news sites. It was promoted through the Council’s Leaders’ Update, the Council’s website, e-newsletters and social media channels, enabling both internal (e.g. staff) as well as external consultees to get involved in the process. The Facebook reach was 1044, the X (formerly Twitter) reach was 333 and the LinkedIn reach was 277.

In addition to this, Wilby CEVA Primary School promoted the consultation amongst their school community.

During the consultation period, using the means available, consultees, local people, interested parties and organisations contributed to the consultation 204 times.

One of the questions asked respondents to what extent they supported or opposed the proposal for Wilby CEVA Primary to relocate to the new school at Glenvale Park. There were 160 responses to this question, 63.1% said they strongly or tended to support the proposal and 33.8% said they strongly opposed or tended to oppose the proposal.

When comparing responses to this question by the different types of respondents, we can see that out of the 66 respondents who identified themselves as either a pupil or a parent, carer or guardian of a pupil of Wilby CEVA Primary School, 58.2% supported the proposal and 40.0% opposed. Of the 18 members of staff at Wilby CEVA Primary School and Parent Teacher Association (PTA), 92.3% supported the proposal and none of them opposed. Of all the other respondents 61.2% supported and 33.7% opposed. 

Positive impacts 

Respondents were invited to share their feedback on why they felt the proposal would have a positive impact. A total of 103 respondents shared their views.

Nearly three quarters expressed their general support for the proposed relocation and welcomed the provision and benefits a spacious modern building and facilities would bring and thought it would provide enhanced opportunities for the pupils to thrive. These respondents felt a more reliable infrastructure and support system would also help the growth of the local community. It was commented by some that they feel the current Wilby primary school is no longer fit for purpose and has restricted facilities for the growing needs of the pupils.

Approximately a fifth of the comments to this question stated that the proposed relocation would provide pupils with more outdoor, communal and/or green space which would enhance physical education. A similar number of comments felt the proposal would reduce the volume of traffic in the Wilby area and that the Glenvale location provided better parking, for both staff and parents, and drop-off options. Although, there were a small number of comments relating to concerns over transport and/or safe routes to the new school, with one reference to an assurance being made regarding free transport to the school for pupils. 

Several respondents thought the potential relocation to an established school would be beneficial in relation to preparing pupils for secondary education, being able to intake all year groups together rather than staggered, and potentially attracting more diverse teaching staff. A similar number of respondents claimed the potential relocation would support the growth and development of the general Glenvale community, offer opportunities for the community to come together and help house sales in the local area.

There were a few respondents who said the new school building would provide additional facilities for SEN (Special Educational Needs) provisions, PPA (planning, preparation and assessment) time, interventions, meeting rooms, cooking facilities.  A local Parish Council commented its full support for the proposed relocation, following an extensive consultation with Governors and teachers. 

Negative impacts

Respondents were then invited to tell us of any negative impacts they feel the proposal may have along with any suggestions on how any potential negative impacts could be reduced or avoided. There were 74 responses to this question. 

Almost half of the responses to this question were in relation to how they thought the relocation of the village primary school would impact on the wider community of the village. They felt the potential relocation of the school would take away what was referred to as ‘the heart of the village’. It was felt the relocation of the school would impact on the community as a whole and potentially reduce the popularity of the village overall. These respondents also commented on how they preferred the small village school and its link with the nearby church. 

Approximately a third of comments related to the additional travel that some parents and children would need to undertake, adding additional vehicles to the current traffic and burden to parents’ time due to travel logistics. 

Alongside this, about a quarter of comments related to concerns regarding the environment with the additional traffic on the road and/or safety concerns for the children, with a perception of no safe walking routes to Glenvale Park from the Wilby area or having young children needing to travel on buses. 

Several respondents raised their concerns over future plans and/or the intake process challenges that may occur later. They were concerned there would be oversubscription in the future and Wilby children may be placed in town schools further away. They were also concerned that the Glenvale development children would have priority for the allocated spaces. There was also an indication that by the time the building is ready for intake, there would be enough pupils to initially open multiple year groups on a one form or mixed class entry, which would accommodate families with children of differing ages. This could then increase as the school fills with more children joining the local catchment area to accommodate a two-form entry. 

A similar number of respondents raised their concerns that the school may prioritise admission on faith and a perception that this would remove choice, with a risk that the diverse local community may be discriminated against. There were a few comments received about concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of both children and staff, and the impact of perceived disruption the proposed relocation would cause. 

A similar number of respondents mentioned the current cost of living crisis and were worried about the additional financial burden new school uniforms and travel would add to some families’ outgoings, and how this may be a bigger challenge for some families more than others. There was also one reference to the cost of the relocation of the school on the public purse. A small number of comments referred to parents who had made a historic choice to send their child to a village school and that choice was now being taken away from them.  

There were a small number of additional comments querying where the additional budget for potential school transport would come from when NNC budgets are being challenged; that the new school building could be better utilised for a SEN or secondary school provision.

A few respondents offered suggestions on how any perceived negative impact could be reduced or avoided. These included provision of a shuttle bus from Wilby primary school to Glenvale Park or free school transport and moving the start/end time of the school day to mitigate the additional traffic

Locality of respondents

There were 115 valid postcodes provided for North Northamptonshire. There was one postcode from outside of North Northamptonshire.

Written responses 

There were three written responses received. One submission expressed concerns over the proposed relocation and felt several issues had not been thoroughly considered. They felt the process had been directed towards confirmation of the proposed relocation, without balance. They questioned the rationale regarding the birth rate of Wilby residents (and other villages in general) and the number and reasons pupils outside of the village attend the school. The response was strongly supportive of village schools and the environment they provide, especially to SEN pupils, and felt the relocation of the school removes the choice for the families who prefer a village school, including those whose children require additional SEN provision. They said the impact of such a change should be fully assessed before any decision is taken. 

The second respondent expressed concern regarding a faith school and thought that perhaps a non-faith school would be a better option. They added they had chosen to move to the Glenvale Park community expecting a new primary school, but not a faith school. 

The final written submission confirmed a preference for their child to attend Wilby school in its current location, next to the church.