Government confirms funding for primary academy at BSCS

Bradley Stoke Community School.

A new primary school looks set to be provided in Bradley Stoke, after the government confirmed successful bids to its £982 million Targeted Basic Need (TBN) Programme, which is funding more school places in areas of high demand.

South Gloucestershire Council prioritised four bids – a new primary academy at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS), a new primary academy at King’s Oak Academy in Kingswood and the expansion of Mangotsfield and Beacon Rise Primary Schools – and all four have been approved.

Welcoming the news, Cllr John Calway (Longwell Green), Leader of the Council and Conservative Group said:

“It’s excellent news that all four of the bids that the council submitted have been approved by the Department for Education (DfE) because we are determined to ensure that South Gloucestershire parents have access to high quality and local school places for their children. Having attended a meeting in Westminster with the Schools Minister and Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore to make the case for a new school in Kingswood, as well as wider investment in more school places, I am especially pleased with this announcement.”

In a joint statement, Conservative councillors Rob Jones and John Ashe (Bradley Stoke South), Sarah Pomfret and Brian Hopkinson (both Bradley Stoke Central & Stoke Lodge) said:

“We supported the council’s funding bid because we want to see enough good school places in Bradley Stoke for our town’s kids.”

“From talking to Bradley Stoke parents on the doorstep, it’s clear that a significant number have not been getting their preferred school place and as a result have been left disappointed because of the pressure on school places in our town.”

“We can help put an end to these worries by ensuring that there are enough good school places in our town to meet local demand so this announcement is great news.”

“A number of existing primary school sites have already had extra classrooms installed, but there’s only so much you can do before space runs out.”

Dave Baker, executive headteacher at BSCS told The Journal:

“From The Olympus Academy Trust perspective, the announcement by the DfE about funding for a primary phase to be added at Bradley Stoke Community School is very exciting news. We are delighted to be planning for an educational continuum from 4-18 for local families.”

“Given the lack of availability of suitable sites for much needed additional primary school places within Bradley Stoke, it is good to be able to work with South Gloucestershire Council to provide a solution at Bradley Stoke Community School which will see a one form entry primary facility open in 2015. We believe this is good news for the local community.”

“Obviously we will want to work very closely with our local primary partners to manage the phasing of the school opening to ensure no detriment to other schools.”

This article originally appeared in the August edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine.

Related link: Schools in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

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3 comments

  1. So, the Tories are very smug with themselves at getting another 1FE primary school. The challenge that they now face is getting a secondary school big enough to take all the primary children.

    Let’s see them tackle that small problem.

    (no doubt as successfully as they got superfast broadband to our central areas!!)
    JonBoy

  2. What about putting some money to Patchway Community College for once that missed out when Filton was given the money for a new school and Winterbourne has been given more Millions even though they were given Millions a few years ago for some more buildings to be built ,why do they keep missing out for any money to upgrade the old buildings they will need it when all the children from Charlton Hayes grow up .
    Are the rumours true then that they are running down the school to sale of the land for a profit

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