New Primary School Burleyfields Development, Stafford
Proposal to open a new primary school on the site of the Burleyfields Development, Stafford, at the earliest September 2025.
Staffordshire County Council has identified the need to establish a new 420 place primary free school to serve new housing at Burleyfields, Stafford to open at the earliest September 2025.
The new primary free school will be delivered as a 420 place mainstream, co-educational primary school for Reception to Year 6 age groups, plus early years provision but will be opened in a phased approach.
Construction of the residential development on the Burleyfields, Stafford commenced during 2020.
The county council will keep under review the data on the need for school places, and the opening of the second phase will be driven by demand.
A consultation was held between Monday 11th September and closed on Friday 6th October 2023 and representations were sought from a range of stakeholders and the local community, a summary of representations can be found below.
We are now considering proposals made from academy trusts to deliver high quality education at this school.
Public Consultation and Summary of Representations Received
Staffordshire County Council actively promotes a diverse supply of strong schools throughout the county, in line with the requirements of section 6A of the Education Act 2011. This includes encouraging good schools to expand and, where there is a need for a new school, seeking proposals for a free school.
Engagement with our communities and stakeholders is extremely important to us. We endeavoured to obtain a wide range of responses by consulting directly with local schools and their Governors, Multi Academy Trusts with schools in the area, local councils, local-councillors, MPs, the Diocese, Trade Unions and the general public where we utilised social media to encourage feedback.
A good response was received from a range of stakeholders, the majority of which were in support of the new school.
Most respondents (91%) identified themselves as residents of the development or the general public. Additional responses (9%) were also received from people identifying themselves as school and academy staff and local councillors.
The majority felt that the new school would be of benefit to children and local residents, identifying more school places in the area as a positive outcome.
Respondents felt the new school would have an overall positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the local community, most notably through ease of access to education, social connections and the provision of a community facility. They also felt it would promote healthier lifestyles through walking and cycling to school and ease pressure on parents by delivering education infrastructure locally. Almost all those who responded agreed with the principle of sustainable travel to school.
Concern was expressed about the noise, traffic and parking around the new school when it opens with parents blocking drives of existing residents. The new school is being delivered to mitigate the impact of the additional children generated by the new development, and as such sustainable methods of transport such as walking and cycling to school will be encouraged once the school is open.
A small number of people felt it would affect other local schools. The new school is needed to mitigate the impact of the additional children that are expected to be generated by the ongoing housing development at Burleyfields. The new school will build pupil numbers incrementally, initially opening with 30 reception places and increasing by one year group each year. This means that upon opening, the school will admit children into Nursery and Reception year groups only. In the following year, the school will admit into Nursery, Reception and Year 1 year groups. The second phase will be led by pupil demand.
Over half of respondents felt the new school would have a positive impact on economic growth, with most siting local businesses by the school, new business start-ups and job opportunities.