Bristol school's classroom plans hit snag
Plans for a temporary classroom block as part of the expansion of Bristol's largest primary school have hit a snag.
Members of the city council's development control (north) committee deferred a decision on the proposed double classroom in the grounds of Bishop Road Primary after hearing of objections from some parents and neighbours.
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But yesterday's delay will not stop the Bishopston school taking in 30 extra four-year-olds in September, as there is room for them in the existing buildings.
Bishop Road is one of a dozen primaries that agreed in the spring to take in additional pupils to meet high demand for school places.
It is already Bristol's biggest primary, with 630 children aged four to 11 as well as a nursery class.
The school usually accepts 90 four-year-olds a year into its reception classes.
But the head teacher and governors agreed that for 2009 only they would take a fourth class, so that local children did not have to travel a long distance.
In a statement in support of the plans for the classroom block towards the north-western end of the school site alongside Monk Road, the school leaders said they were working in a highly successful partnership with the city council children's and young people's services department to help provide for the needs of the community.
The school said it was essential the classrooms were in place by the start of term, even though they would not be used for the extra pupils but to accommodate older children and meet curriculum needs.
But some parents said it would be wrong to agree a hasty scheme, which was proposing to site the demountable classrooms on land used as a hard-surface playground and a nature area.
They were also angry that diggers had been brought on to the school grounds before permission had been granted, although work had soon stopped.
The committee heard that 53 letters of objection and an e-petition of 113 signatures had been submitted. Twenty-nine people wrote in support of the scheme. The opposition was mainly to the loss of the conservation and outdoor learning area and the playground.
A dozen parents also gave statements or spoke at the meeting. None was opposed to the school taking the extra pupils but all were concerned about the loss of play space and the outdoor learning facility.
Head teacher Gillian Powe had told parents in a newsletter that the "lost" nature patch was underused and a new and better wildlife area would be created to replace it.
But parents told councillors that teaching staff did not expect the demountable classrooms to be in use until the new year even if permission were given this month and questioned whether a double classroom block was needed at all.
Several said the removal of the wildlife area would undermine work done on the site by children and parents and could damage goodwill towards the school.
Some opponents suggested the site of some disused bike sheds would be a better place for the new classrooms. All said they would like to see other options explored.
Objector Fran Bolton said: "I do not agree that the best way to approach the impending increase in pupil numbers at Bishop Road is to rush through an ill-considered and ultimately unnecessary measure which runs contrary to council guidelines on local consultation, sustainability, and pupil welfare."
4 Comments
by Hannah, Henleaze
Sunday, August 09 2009, 8:52PM
“"the council should do this properly, objectively and without undue haste to make sure the money on offer is spent wisely and in such a way as to bring long term benefit to all our children and for future generations. "
Well if the council had done their job properly over the last 20 years, they would have done this a long time ago. They would have put extra classes in several of our local schools in North Bristol and they would have built us some new schools. The only reason that Bishop Road is getting an extra class is because the governors of the school agreed to work to finding a solution to help local people. It's a shame that other school's could not see fit to do the same; most notably Henleaze Infants. Their governors put up more of a fight and threatened a costly legal challenge.
The problem here is that it is all very reactionary - typical of BCC. No planning, no budgeting, no thought for residents etc etc!!!”
by Jen, Bristol
Sunday, August 09 2009, 10:35AM
“I am also a parent of two children at Bishop Road. I am so sorry about this confusion because this planning issue is not about the extra class at all. I have tremendous sympathy with those parents who did not receive suitable places, and I welcome the new children who are fortunate enough to join our school this September. Please be reassured that there is sufficient space for them within existing buildings, indeed the new class already has a classroom allocated and other adjustments have been made in the Reception and Foundation areas to accommodate them. This planning application was for an enormous double temporary classroom in the already cramped Silverthorne playground for which no suitable replacement of green space had been pledged for KS2 pupils (some developments were suggested for the existing Reception garden.) There are government guidelines about playspace per pupil and about sustainability etc. The council put undue pressure on the school by offering these temporary classrooms as a quick fix solution but councillors unanimously decided that with a little more time and thought a better and permanent solution could be explored which did not detract from playground space which is already limited. For example, an alternative plan to renovate and expand the disused bike sheds behind the staff car park and join these to the Silverthorne building can now be considered along with other proposals. The council has a duty to appraise all the existing buildings and see how best they can be adapted over the next year or two to meet the curriculum needs the school has highlighted. This decision to defer is simply an admission by councillors that the council should do this properly, objectively and without undue haste to make sure the money on offer is spent wisely and in such a way as to bring long term benefit to all our children and for future generations.”
by Hannah, Henleaze
Friday, August 07 2009, 4:03PM
“Well, Jess it appears that you may well be the NIMBY here - or certainly the 'I'm alright Jack.' As you said, your daughter already has her place at Bishop Rd, so what do you care?
What if your daughter had been born a few months later and been caught up in the schools fiasco of 2009? What if you had been asked to take her to schoolin Ashton or Southmead every day?
Hypocrisy of the highest order.
And before you even bother, no, my kids didn't get a place at our first choice local school. So yes, I am bitter, but I think I have every right to be. However, I am lucky enough to have been given my 2nd choice, unlike a lot of my friends who got NO offer!”
by Jess, Bristol
Friday, August 07 2009, 10:59AM
“For pities sake !
My daughter goes to Bishop Rd and without the temp classrooms, just how are they proposing to have room for the new class ?. An area of under used ground was going to be TEMPORARILY used for the class building and now the pupils will end up having precious space reduced, what's going to go ? The Gym ? Dining facilities ? Library ?
Even the head said that a new "nature area" will be provided.
Stupid NIMBY's dare not squash a near barren "nature" area but will cram more children into an already busy school.”