City primary schools under review

Four primary schools in Bristol could close, under plans being considered by the city council.

The authority says it has too many places for the city's children, and is considering amalgamating eight schools into four, removing 888 places.

A separate proposal would see an extra 148 places created in the north of the city, where the demand for places in the Sefton Park area outstrips supply.

The plans will be looked at in April, followed by a consultation period.

The council says the city has 1,300 more vacant primary school places than is acceptable for the Department for Education and Skills.

The proposals include merging... Dunmail and Embleton Primary Schools Petherton Road Infants and Tyning Hengrove Junior School on the junior school site Romney Avenue Infant and Junior Schools on the infant school site Novers Lane Infant and Junior Schools on the junior school site Plus the relocation of Sefton Park Junior School onto the Brunel College site and the expansion of Sefton Park Infant School into the Junior School building

A council spokesman told BBC News Online: "The issue is one of too many places, plus some population changes.

"The schools we are looking at fall short of the minimum number of pupils required."

At present, around 4,500, or 14% of primary places in the city, are vacant and the DfES says this needs to be reduced to around 10%.

Councillor Peter Abraham said: "There has been a lot of painstaking work to bring us to this stage in Bristol's primary review but there's still some way to go.

"The proposals which have been drawn up represent a substantial reduction in the number of empty primary school places in Bristol - each one of which costs taxpayers around £300 a year - and brings us much closer to the figure which the DfES says is acceptable.

"More needs to be done and we will look at further proposals as and when the necessary funding becomes available.

"We have consulted with headteachers and governors throughout the process and there will be further opportunities for schools and parents to have their say on the action plan as it emerges.

"Change on this scale isn't easy but we don't have a choice and there will be major benefits for Bristol's children."