Planning school places overview

We have a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient school places across the county to meet the present and future demand for school places. We seek to exercise this function in partnership with diocese, governing bodies of schools, trusts, head teachers, local communities and other key stakeholders.

The School Organisation Team is responsible for the planning of school places, working with developers to secure additional school places where necessary to mitigate the impact of housing development. We monitor levels of surplus places, produce and analyse pupil projections, maintain accurate school net capacity schedules and ensure that there is appropriate publication of statutory proposals for school reorganisations.

In order to plan school places effectively, schools are grouped together to form 'school place planning areas', based on their geographical location and the pupil movement between schools.