The North West Academies Trust has been appointed as the sponsor for the new 210-pupil primary school in Nantwich.
The one form entry primary school, due to open in autumn 2024 subject to planning approval, will be on the Kingsbourne development where there will eventually be 1,100 new homes.
Provision of a new primary school is one of the conditions for the development so children can be educated locally and can easily travel to school.
The new school aims to reduce the pressure on oversubscribed schools in Nantwich, limiting the need to travel across town and any additional traffic.
The council’s school organisation team has been managing the project, working with the Department for Education (DfE), to appoint a sponsor to run the school.
A number of sponsors were considered during the selection process by a panel which included council officers, young people and DfE regional directors’ officers.
North West Academies Trust is a multi-academy trust currently comprising of 10 schools across Cheshire and Shropshire, including nearby Acton Church of England Primary Academy.
Councillor Kathryn Flavell, lead member for children and families at Cheshire East Council, said: “Nantwich is a very popular location for families to live and has been facing a growing demand for school places following new housing developments including Kingsley Fields.
“Our education team has been working together with existing schools and the community to plan for the new school and to meet the projected future demand for places.
“The funding of the school has, in part, come from developer contributions and its construction was one of the planning conditions for the development, so that children can be educated locally, with minimal travel for parents and carers.
“Children and young people have been involved throughout the process, telling us what matters to them, including the importance of the environment and outdoor space. I’m delighted to see that these have been incorporated into the design and specification of the building and external play areas.
“I look forward to working with North West Academies Trust, seeing how the construction progresses, alongside the teaching and support team who I’m sure will be ready to accept their first pupils next year.”
Steve Docking OBE, chief executive officer of North West Academies Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have been selected to lead this exciting project.
“Providing children with the best possible education is at the heart of every decision we make as a trust and we have planned very carefully to ensure that, when our very first pupils walk through the door, they will be given an excellent start to their school life.
“We are committed to making this school outstanding for all, and we are looking forward to working with the local community and all agencies involved to make this happen.”
What happens when the Primary children are ready for High School? Is that in the planning?
Shortsighted?
So you’d have a 2000 capacity school running with a 1800 vacancy rate. The mill fields school ran with a similar capacity covering more than 1000 homes and had no problems. Not everyone has kids at the same time, weren’t you taught stats at school?
I assume residents of the new housing estate are aware they are limited to 0.19 children per household, 1 in 5 houses with one child – really!.
Once again, housing first, required infrastructure a second thought. You could not make it up.