Decision details

Approval for Temporary Expansion at Dore Primary School

Decision Maker: Leader of the Council

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Purpose:

To seek approval for a temporary mobile unit to be constructed on Dore Primary School site for September 2021. This is to accommodate a single bulge year group in planning area Dore & Totley.

 

Decision:

That the Leader:

 

1.    Approve the inclusion of a budget of up to £300k in the capital programme to allow delivery of temporary mobile classroom on the Dore Primary school site to create capacity for an additional class (30 pupils). This would be in place for the next  7 years to take the cohort through primary years, reception to year 6;

 

  1. Approve the procurement of the ground surveys by via 3 competitive quotations and the principal contractor via the Yorbuild framework; and

 

  1. Delegate authority to the Director of Finance and Commercial Services or nominated Officer, as appropriate, to award the necessary contracts.

 

 

Reasons for the decision:

Erect a single mobile classroom on the Junior playground. School leads have negotiated the addition of an external canopy to the existing single mobile (nurture unit) to allow for free-flow play and a replacement fire door to allow for increased number of people to use the junior hall.

By successfully working to tight deadlines and expediting approval processes, this option could be implemented by September 2021. Dore Primary School governors have agreed to proceed with this option.

 

This proposal will provide the pupil places required  to meet the catchment demand for September 2021.

Alternative options considered:

School to temporarily increase PAN and absorb demand. Officers considered if Dore Primary was able to accommodate an additional single year group without capital intervention. Since September 2020, Dore Primary have created a 26 place Pre-school, using a ‘spare’ classroom to deliver a nurture unit This space would have only been suitable for the infant phase. When the bulge year moves into juniors, the classroom would be isolated from the rest of the junior phase given its location on the infant site. Therefore, the school is not in a position to accommodate a bulge year without physical expansion.

 

Refurbishment of a caretakers building

This option was proposed by the school in initial planning phase and reviewed by council officers, who confirmed the caretakers house is unsuitable for a classroom due insufficient size, over two storeys, located at the end of the drive, with access to playground via carpark.

 

Publication date: 23/04/2021

Date of decision: 23/04/2021

Accompanying Documents: