Purpose

Fairway Infant School and Copthorne CE Junior
School are co-educational schools based in Copthorne, West Sussex
catering for pupils in years R-2 and 3-6, respectively.
 
Heathy Wood is a 500-home development to the
west of Copthorne, nearing completion, which included provision for
a primary school site when the development was granted planning
permission in 2016. However, to date, demand for primary school
places from the new development has been met by the two local
schools, Fairway Infant and Copthorne CE Junior. With the birth
rate dropping nationally and reviewing latest pupil projections for
the area, the County Council consider that the establishment of a
new primary school is not required. 
 
As part of the conditions for the development
Section 106 contributions for primary school place provision were
secured.  These funds have now been
received and can be used to support investment in and improvements
to Fairway Infant and Copthorne CE Junior schools to accommodate
the additional pupils from Heathy Wood.
 
It is proposed that a feasibility study is
undertaken to ascertain the best use of the funds available to
improve and develop existing facilities at the schools.  This will enable a programme of works to be
identified, in accordance with the criteria set out in the S106
agreement, to deliver the improvements.

Decision

The Assistant Director (Property and Assets)
has approved a total gross budget allocation of £4m from
received S106 developer contribution funds to identify improvement
priorities via a feasibility study and complete all the works
necessary at Fairway Infant and Copthorne CE Junior Schools as set
out in paragraph 2.2 of this report and to procure the delivery of
the works in so far as required.