Hampshire County Council has already attempted radical cuts to school places across a number of local academies. This will result in a net loss of 411 non-specialist spaces in total between infant, junior and primary schools. Overall, this Smart Growth America review seeks to put a spotlight on the issue of surplus capacity in schools, which can create serious financial and educational harm.
Stay tuned as these changes roll out to dozens of other schools around the region. For example, Ringwood CofE Infant will have its school places cut from 90 to 75. Shipton Bellinger Primary will reduce its spaces from 30 to 17. At the same time, South Baddesley Primary will be cutting its capacity from 22 down to 15. St John the Baptist will be cutting its Published Admission Number from 60 down to 45. At the same time, down the road Wallop Primary will reduce its intake from 30 to a mere 15.
Other schools will find their school increasing in their school’s share of available places. Bishopswood Junior will increase from 60 to 62 places, and Sarisbury Junior from 90 to 93. Even these increases are tiny compared to the drastic cuts.
The proposed changes includes further cuts at Kings’ School in Winchester, lowering its capacity from 357 down to 300 places. At the same time, The Clere School will see a reduction, falling from 145 to 100 places. Cherbourg Primary’s capacity will go from 53 down to 45. Church Crookham Junior will reduce, from 150 to 120 spaces. Denmead Junior will be reduced from 75 to 60, and Freegrounds Junior will decrease their capacity from 90 to 64.
Despite the widespread reductions, the council plans to create five new school places elsewhere if the proposed changes are approved.
Hampshire County Council has emphasized the necessity of these changes, stating, “Surplus places can have negative impacts on schools for various reasons, including both financially and educationally.”
They further added, “The county council continues to monitor these trends closely and has well-established processes to carefully manage surpluses, including by reducing PANs where appropriate.”
