News / Education
‘Critical’ lack of school places in east Bristol amid delays in building new academy
The quality of education for scores of children in east Bristol could be threatened by the “catastrophic” delay in providing school places, parents have warned.
It was originally hoped that a new academy, to be built along Silverthorne Lane as part of the Temple Quarter development, would be ready in 2018, but a public meeting on Wednesday heard that under the “best case scenario” it will not be completed until September 2023.
The 1,600 capacity secondary school is one element of the plans for a major regeneration of the St Philip’s site, but delays mean the full application has only just been submitted to Bristol City Council’s planning department.
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Jenny Grinsted, a member of BS5 Secondary Education Forum, warned the situation is set to become “critical” in 2021, when there will be a shortage of some 200 school places due to what was termed “a population bulge” of children.
Speaking at the meeting in Redfield Educate Together Primary School on Wednesday evening, Grinsted said not only will the education of children in the community be affected, but it will also put pressure on existing schools.
“It’s not an ideal situation to be in, a significant number of children will end up going way outside of our community to go to school,” she said.
“We need to make sure there are enough secondary places and also ones that parents want to send their kids to.”
BS5 Secondary Education forum was formed in 2013, when the impending shortage of primary places at the time was highlighted. The group successfully campaigned for the Educate Together primary school on Avondale Road to be built, but as those pupils move on to secondary education, the provision is again falling short.
Member and meeting chair Amy Harrison added: “Children in east Bristol deserve the best education and equity across the city.”
Other secondary schools in the area, which includes Barton Hill, Lawrence Hill, St George, Easton and Redfield, have been able to expand their capacity either because senior year groups were less full or there had been provision for a sixth form that isn’t used.
Steve Taylor, the CEO of Cabot Learning Federation, said they were happy to step up to be plan B and ensure further expansion could be managed in a “measured and considered” way, but the consensus is a new school is desperately needed.
Latest masterplan for the Silverthorne Lane redevelopment site. Image courtesy of Square Bay
The proposed secondary school, to be run by Oasis Academy Trust, will be funded by the Department for Education and is part of development plans put forward by Square Bay that will also deliver commercial space, new homes and student accommodation.
Commenting on the “coincidental timing” that the planning application was finally submitted on the day of the public meeting, Anna Keen, Labour’s cabinet member for education, stressed Bristol City Council’s “absolute commitment” to delivering the new school.
But, she said realistically the “best case scenario” would not see the academy completed until September 2023, with a temporary site for the school potentially ready by December 2021.
This does not allow for any further delays on what has been described as a “complex site”.
Speaking on behalf of Square Bay, Johnny Kidney told the meeting: “It’s a very complex regeneration site and it will need a lot of remediation work before we can start work. The council have set this as a benchmark for the area and this whole area is changing so it’s important to get this relationship between buildings right.”
He added: “We feel the frustration and we share the frustration. Planning consent will unlock this school and the future of this area.”
Parents, councillors, teachers and school bosses attended the public meeting at Redfield Educate Together Primary School. Photo by Ellie Pipe
The developers have responded to concerns about heritage and flooding of the site and tweaked their plans accordingly. Floor levels have been raised to counter flood risk and the height of the proposed student accommodation blocks reduced.
Square Bay managing director Markham Hanson said the firm is committed to building the school as quickly as possible.
Parents and members of the community were joined by councillors, including mayor Marvin Rees and deputy mayor Asher Craig, as well as representatives from nearby schools.
Addressing the meeting, Rees said: “We get the importance of a top-quality education experience for our children. We will keep pressing on.”
Main photo thanks to Evoke Pictures Lifestyle
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