The Bramshall Meadows First School consultation took place between Wednesday 12th May and Wednesday 23rd June. Responses to the survey were sought from the local community as well as key stakeholders in the local area. The survey gathered 111 responses; of those respondents 93% agreed that Bramshall Meadows First School would meet the need for additional first school places in the area and that Uttoxeter Learning Trust should enter into a funding agreement with the Secretary of State.
The key issues highlighted by respondents to the consultation were as follows:
- The availability of places for students in the middle and high schools when the new school opens
- How parking, pick up and drop off will be managed
- The provisions that will be in place for wraparound care
- SEND provision
- Links with the community
The Trust has provided the following responses to these:
Availability of middle school places
Currently there are places available in all three middle schools within the Uttoxeter Learning Trust: Windsor Park CoE Middle (the school’s feeder middle school), Ryecroft CoE Middle School and Oldfields Hall Middle School. Staffordshire County Council produce pupil projections based on a cluster area linked to current demographics and an expected child yield from new housing developments. Where there is projected to be a need for additional school places from new housing (as is the case in Uttoxeter), Section 106 contributions are requested from each developer to contribute towards these additional places.
In terms of middle school provision, Oldfields Hall Middle School has recently completed a consultation in relation to a proposal to expand the middle school by 30 places per year group from September 2025. The proposal includes a new teaching block and multi-use hall and will be discussed at a Staffordshire County Council cabinet meeting in August 2021. The first Year 4 cohort from Bramshall Meadows First School would progress to Year 5 in September 2027.
In terms of High school provision, pupil projections will continue to be monitored to determine the delivery date for any additional places.
How parking, pick up and drop off will be managed
As with all new schools, parents and carers will be encouraged to find sustainable means of travel to school, especially as the expectation is that most families will be living locally on the Bramshall Meadows estate. The County Council’s Modeshift STARS programme (nationally accredited sustainable travel planning) will support this through communication with parents and pupils via the school.
Parents dropping children off will not be allowed to access the school site and any parking on site will be for staff and school visitors only. This is to ensure the safety of staff and pupils. There will be a pupil storage area for bikes and scooters on the school site. Parents and carers will, however, be expected to comply with whatever traffic enforcement is in place through the estate which will include signs and road markings and show consideration towards our neighbours.
The school will consider whether staggered start and end times would be beneficial to managing the start and end of the school day. With the initial intake for September 2022 comprising of reception and nursery pupils only, it is envisaged that the school will be able to revise their procedures as the school grows.
The provisions that will be in place for wraparound care
We will offer access to before- and after-school care for working parents and carers from when the new school opens. The detail of provision will be shared during the next academic year.
SEND provision
We will be publishing our SEND policy on the website from September 2021 which will make clear the ways in which we will support pupils at Bramshall Meadows First School. The leadership of the school will welcome contact from parents and carers who wish to discuss the needs of their children prior to the school opening in September 2022. First schools within the trust have a close relationship with the middle schools and consequently the high school which supports a strong transition into the next stage of the pupil’s education.
Links with the community
Community access is part of the trust’s plans for Bramshall Meadows First School reflecting the positive relationships that already exist in and around the trust. Consideration will be given to opportunities for lettings of the main hall, the grounds and other suitable rooms in line with appropriate staffing levels within the school and the needs of the community.
Please click here to download the full consultation report
If you would would like to speak to anyone regarding Bramshall Meadows First School please email: office@bramshallmeadows.org.uk