Council reject new Academy plans

The school was recently developed at a cost of £1.2m

Plans to close New Oak Primary School and create a three-to-18 years academy in Hengrove, have been rejected by Bristol City Council's cabinet.

The idea was put forward by the government's Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in July 2006.

But some 76% of those responding to a council consultation opposed the idea.

During the meeting, councillors voted unanimously to keep New Oak Primary as it is and move ahead with the 11-to-18 Academy proposal for Hengrove.

Concerns were raised over a potential waste of public money involved in closing a primary school, only recently developed at a cost of £1.2m.

Tight timescale

Parents were also concerned about the tight timescale. The government-led proposal was put forward in July last year, shortly after the city's Schools Organisation Committee had agreed to a new 11-to-18 Academy to replace Hengrove Community Arts College.

A response to this new idea for an all-through Academy was required by the DfES at an early stage in order to allow existing plans to be changed in time for the new facility to open in September 2008.

Council leader Barbara Janke said: "Schools serve their local communities and are crucial as a neighbourhood focus, so it is vital that parent and community views genuinely inform our decision-making.

"The consultation was a sincere engagement on a proposal affecting most local children and their parents.

"The significant majority felt that the timescale demanded by the DfES was too short and that the potential disruption to their children's education was too significant a consideration."