Robert Blake Expansion Programme What are we consulting on? Somerset County Council is consulting on a proposal to expand Robert Blake Science College from 900 places to 1050 places from September 2021 and then at a later date to 1200 pupil places. This would facilitate in the first instance an increase from 194 pupils per year group to 210 per year group and then at a later date when demand requires it to 240 per year group. The opportunity to expand Robert Blake Science College has arisen due to the planned relocation of Elmwood Special School to a new purpose built facility near the M5 motorway. This new special school will be ready in June 2021 and will allow the vacated accommodation on the Robert Blake site to be converted into secondary school places. Why is change needed As the Strategic Commissioner of School Places, Somerset County Council has a statutory duty to ensure a sufficiency of school places for children resident in its area. The secondary school population in Bridgwater is forecast to significantly increase over the coming years due to a number of influencing factors. The increase in the primary population experienced since 2011 started feeding through to the secondary school system from 2019. In addition, there are three large housing developments (Kingsdown, Stockmoor and Wilstock) in Bridgwater which will bring in excess of 3,500 dwellings to the town when they are completed. The construction of Hinkley Point C power station is also drawing families to the town. Somerset County Council forecasts for pupil numbers demonstrate a clear need for increased capacity in the short to medium-term up to 2025. The first of these places are required by 2021 and the remaining 150 places, which will take the capacity of the school to 1200, are forecast to be needed by 2025/2026. Somerset County Council have worked with all four secondary schools and developed a staged approach to adding additional secondary school places. Phase one of Bridgwater’s secondary expansion has just completed with 300 places having been added at Bridgwater College Academy. This academy is adjacent to the Kingsdown estate. Phase two is linked to the need to increase special school places in the Sedgemoor area. The Council is replacing and expanding Elmwood and Penrose special schools with a new school building for up to 160 children aged 4-16. Feasibility studies were undertaken at both Penrose and Elmwood in order to understand the cost and deliverability of expanding both schools – neither were deemed to be cost effective due to site constraints and other factors. Coupled with the fact that Bridgwater needs a significant amount of additional secondary school places, the most cost-effective option was deemed to be the delivery of a new replacement special school for Bridgwater, with current accommodation at Robert Blake Science College (Elmwood) being converted in to mainstream secondary school places at low cost, for secondary school places. Robert Blake Science College is adjacent to the Wilstock and Stockmoor new housing estates. Phase three of our secondary plan is to expand Chilton Trinity to the north of the town by 150 places to meet future demand if required. The Jean Rees Centre currently used by Penrose special school which is co-located with Chilton Trinity will be available at later date Haygrove School is not part of the strategic plan to increase provision. The Academy has been successful in securing Government Priority Schools Building funding to replace the main school block. Why are you being consulted The Governors of Robert Blake Science College and the Local Authority would like to hear your views on the proposed expansion. Parents/carers with specific queries or requests for additional information can be addressed to the school office. By phone: 01278 456243 By email: [email protected] By 5pm Friday 23rd October 2020 How would the Local Authority fund the expansion The funding for the expansion at Robert Blake Science College has been secured as part of 2018/2019 capital programme. Timescales following 23rd October 2020 There are 4 statutory stages to expanding a school as follows: 1. Publication 2. Representation 3. Decision 4. Implementation. Although there is no statutory “pre publication” consultation period there is a strong expectation that schools and Local Authorities will consult interested parties and this is what we are doing now. It is anticipated that the programme for the implementation of any change would be: Publication (statutory w/c 2nd November 2020 proposal/notice) Representation (formal Monday 2nd November to Monday 7th consultation) December 2020 Decision w/c 7th January 2021 Refurbishment/works 1st July 2021 to 31st August 2022 Implementation – Phase one 1st September 2021 The formal consultation will run from week commencing 2nd November to Monday 7th December 2020. The Full Proposal will be published on the Somerset Consults website www.somersetconsults.org.uk from 2nd November 2020. At this point, any person or organisation wishing to object or comment upon these proposals can do so by: via the Somerset County Council Consultation portal www.somersetconsults.org.uk (from 2nd November 2020) Emailing [email protected] Writing to the Service Manager, Schools Commissioning, Education Partnerships, Somerset County Council, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY By the closing date of 5pm on Monday 7th December 2020 Any specific queries or for assistance with this consultation can be emailed to [email protected] Please Note: Individual queries received during the formal consultation period will not receive a direct response, but will be addressed in the consultation summary produced at the end of the process and published online for all interested parties. All responses to this consultation will be collated and presented to the Council’s Lead Member for Education and Transformation at the end of the consultation period. .