Secondary School Provision in the Grove and Wantage Area (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Secondary School Provision in the Grove and Wantage Area

September 15, 2009 4:00 PM
By Cllr Zoe Patrick in County Cabinet

Over two years ago I was sitting here at Cabinet when you had to decide which of three options would be chosen for a secondary school in the Grove and Wantage area. This is because the housing provision for the area had been increased by this Cabinet in Grove and it was agreed that King Alfred's School needed to rationalise its three sites in Wantage. There were three option: a large 'superschool' for both communities on one site, two separate schools of around 1200 for Wantage (using the existing King Alfred's) or Grove being given a small 600 place school. The Cabinet opted for the small school for Grove with no sixth form provision. This was essentially a bad idea and basically a non-starter. It was a do-nothing option! Over 600 children already go to school in Wantage from Grove so the school would have been full before it started let alone before any new development was built.

So biting my lip so as not to say 'I told you so' may I say that I am pleased that at last the Cabinet has eventually come round to the idea that Grove needs a fully-fledged secondary school of around 1200 pupils with its own sixth form from the outset. We know that King Alfred's College now has foundation status and the implications this now brings, but the school is now keen to rationalise their three sites to two and I guess there will be some capital involved with the sale of the East site, but as the report states this is difficult to predict in the current recession. I do hope therefore, that as stated in the report, the option of exploring the position regarding the Building Schools for the Future funding will be taken forward.

It will certainly be much easier for the future of any growth in Grove to put aside the adequate land for the new larger school and all the community facilities which can be planned in. I trust this will then mean that there is less uncertainty when working with the district planners on vital infrastructure for the community should the housing development come. Obviously with the current recession everything is on hold, and of course we have to await the outcome of any planning permission which may come forward.