Consultation to start on Wokingham school amalgamation
Wokingham Borough Council and the Diocese of Oxford have launched a six-week consultation on the proposal to amalgamate Arborfield Newland and Barkham CE Junior School and The Coombes Infant and Nursery School.
The Wokingham council’s decision-making executive agreed in July to consult on the proposal to close the two schools and create a new voluntary-controlled primary school on the same site. The proposal and consultation upon it is made jointly with the Diocese of Oxford.
A consultation document setting out more details relating to the proposal has been published and is available on the council’s website at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/currentconsultations. The formal consultation period closes on Friday November 2.
As part of this process there will be an opportunity to raise questions or comments at a public meeting for parents of children at both schools and members of the local Wokingham community. This meeting will take place on Thursday October 4 at 7pm at Arborfield, Newland and Barkham CE Junior School in School Road, Arborfield. Consultation meetings will also take place with governors and staff of each school.
A report setting out the response to the consultation will be considered by Wokingham council’s decision-making executive in November and by the Diocesan Board of Education. If the decision to reorganise these two schools is taken by the council and the Diocese, there would be a requirement to publish statutory notices and a further six-week period of public consultation in December 2007.
A final decision on the amalgamation will then be taken by the executive in February 2008. If the proposals are agreed, pupils could be benefiting from the amalgamated school by September 2008.
Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “Amalgamation could bring significant benefits to the schools and would allow them to carry on their excellent work and go from strength to strength. It is important that everyone with an interest in these proposals responds during the consultation period.”
Leslie Stephen, director of education at the Oxford Diocese, said: “We've been working closely with the local authority and the schools over a period of months on this proposal. Now it's time for the local community to have their say. We welcome their comments and views.”
The Wokingham council’s decision-making executive agreed in July to consult on the proposal to close the two schools and create a new voluntary-controlled primary school on the same site. The proposal and consultation upon it is made jointly with the Diocese of Oxford.
A consultation document setting out more details relating to the proposal has been published and is available on the council’s website at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/currentconsultations. The formal consultation period closes on Friday November 2.
As part of this process there will be an opportunity to raise questions or comments at a public meeting for parents of children at both schools and members of the local Wokingham community. This meeting will take place on Thursday October 4 at 7pm at Arborfield, Newland and Barkham CE Junior School in School Road, Arborfield. Consultation meetings will also take place with governors and staff of each school.
A report setting out the response to the consultation will be considered by Wokingham council’s decision-making executive in November and by the Diocesan Board of Education. If the decision to reorganise these two schools is taken by the council and the Diocese, there would be a requirement to publish statutory notices and a further six-week period of public consultation in December 2007.
A final decision on the amalgamation will then be taken by the executive in February 2008. If the proposals are agreed, pupils could be benefiting from the amalgamated school by September 2008.
Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “Amalgamation could bring significant benefits to the schools and would allow them to carry on their excellent work and go from strength to strength. It is important that everyone with an interest in these proposals responds during the consultation period.”
Leslie Stephen, director of education at the Oxford Diocese, said: “We've been working closely with the local authority and the schools over a period of months on this proposal. Now it's time for the local community to have their say. We welcome their comments and views.”
Wokingham Borough Council
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