Rokeby merger gets green light
Rokeby infant and junior schools in Rugby are recommend to merge but remain on adjoining sites.
Following several months of consultation, Warwickshire County Council’s cabinet agreed to issue statutory notices to close the existing schools in Anderson Avenue.
They are to be replaced by a single community school for children aged between four and 11, which will open in September 2007.
Opinions varied strongly about whether the infant or junior school building should be retained, but Cabinet members heard of the pressing need to ensure the long term future of the school is resolved.
Falling numbers in the area has meant that the schools have budget pressures that have to be tackled now to maintain high standards of education.
The proposed new primary school would have a capacity of 210 pupils to reflect current and forecast pupil intake numbers, rather than the existing 420 places.
Cllr John Burton, Cabinet member for Schools, said: “We have listened to the very strong views of those supporting the retention of both the infant and junior buildings, and agree that this is an important decision that should not be rushed. But the issue of which building to use should not hold back the amalgamation of the two schools, which is widely supported and is an essential step to ensure children in this part of Rugby continue to receive a good education. It is possible that the surplus space could be used to provide extra community facilities and this will be explored, ahead of a decision by the new governing body of the new school.”
Formal notices proposing the closure of the existing schools will now be published, and there will be a period of six weeks for comments on or objections to the proposal.
At the end of this period, the Warwickshire School Organisation Committee (SOC) would consider any objections and decide in September 2006 whether or not to agree the amalgamation. If there are no objections the decision will be made by Warwickshire County Council’s cabinet.