Purpose

To approve capital funding obtained through
planning obligations (Section 106) to carry out works at Norton
Canes Primary Academy to allow the school to admit an additional
reception bulge class for two academic years. The works will
include remodelling of a standalone building to relocate the
current nursery classes, refurbishment of accommodation currently
used by nursery to create 2 additional classrooms, and
refurbishment of a toilet block.

Content

To approve capital funding obtained through
planning obligations (Section 106) to carry out works at Norton
Canes Primary Academy to allow the school to admit an additional
reception bulge class for two academic years. The works will
include remodelling of a standalone building to relocate the
current nursery classes, refurbishment of accommodation currently
used by nursery to create 2 additional classrooms, and
refurbishment of a toilet block.

Pupil numbers and parental demand for Reception places has
increased in Norton Canes village due to new housing developments
in the area. Due to this new housing, an increasing number of
children living locally have been unable to gain a place a school
in the village and have given ‘Local Authority Offers’
and placed at schools outside of the area. Due to the location of
Norton Canes, the majority of these children will be eligible for
funded school transport as they cannot walk to the schools with
available places.

The additional accommodation will enable the Academy to admit up to
30 additional reception children living locally for 2 admissions
years, starting in September 2025. These children would otherwise
have been unable to access a place at a local school.

Entrust colleagues have provided an estimated cost to deliver the
project which is currently £326,000 plus legal fees and
VAT.

Previous estimates provided by Entrust colleagues were in the
region of £480,000 and therefore approval is sought to
utilise the Section 106 funding up to the maximum of £499,999
to ensure that should the cost change at tender stage, or any
unforeseen costs arise, these can be accommodated.

Section 106 contributions have been secured (and received) that can
be utilised towards the project and can meet the full cost of the
project.

The commission will state that irrespective of the approved budget,
Entrust should ensure the delivery is managed in the most
cost-effective way to minimise the total project cost and ensure
that any remaining funding can go towards the further permanent
expansion required.

Alternative options considered

Pupil numbers and parental demand for
Reception places has increased in Norton Canes village due to new
housing developments in the area. Over recent years, around 800 new
homes have been built across 7 developments and as a result births
and the number of children living in the village has increased
significantly.

The county council have had to make an increasing number of
‘Local Authority Offers’ to children who live in Norton
Canes but have been unable to be offered a local school of their
choice. In September 2024 there were 28 local authority offers made
to children living in Norton Canes, to schools outside of the area.
Due to the location of Norton Canes, most children with a local
authority offer will be eligible for funded school transport as
they cannot walk to the schools with available places.

There have been cases where children as close as 0.4 miles away
from their catchment school have been unable to be placed at the
school.

There are 2 schools in Norton Canes village and both schools were
asked to consider the potential to admit additional pupils for
September 2025.

Positive discussions with REAch2 Academy Trust have resulted in an
agreed project to deliver refurbishment of existing accommodation
at Norton Canes Academy that will allow the school to admit 2
‘bulge’ classes. The other school in the village
(Jerome Primary School) advised they do not have the physical space
to accommodate a bulge class for September 2025.

Norton Canes Academy will admit an additional 30 reception pupils
(taking 60 children into reception instead of 30) for 2 years of
reception admissions. An additional reception cohort would be
admitted in 2025/26, with a further reception cohort to be admitted
as needed after this.

The works to be undertaken include relocating the nursery children
currently occupying the main school building, into a standalone
building on the school site. The proposed nursery building needs
some internal remodelling to ensure it is suitable for use as a
nursery.

There will also be some refurbishment of the former nursery spaces
within the main school building to ensure they are suitable for the
reception classes to be admitted, alongside refurbishment of a
toilet block to ensure that when these pupils move into Key Stage 2
the facilities are appropriate.

The project will allow Norton Canes Academy to meet the increased
local demand for school places. The Published Admission Number
(PAN) will not change as a result of these proposals and will
remain as 30. However, the academy will continue to work with the
Authority to ensure local children are admitted to the school and
have agreed to exceed PAN for two years.

The project will be delivered ready for September 2025 when the
first ‘bulge’ class will be admitted.

Norton Canes Academy was last inspected by Ofsted in July 2024 and
“continues to be a good school”.