Chelmsford primary school to get 'sister site' to allow for more pupils
It will double the number of students at Beaulieu Park School to 800
Essex County Council has agreed to allow the expansion of the primary provision at Beaulieu Park School on a new site in Chelmsford – which will double the number of students to more than 800.
It adds the second primary school site, adjacent to the independent New Hall School, which will large enough to accommodate buildings for 420 primary school places was secured as part of a s106 agreement for the Greater Beaulieu housing development.
This new S106 site will accommodate the expansion of The Beaulieu Park School creating a split school site both run by the Chelmsford Learning Partnership.
Beaulieu Primary School already has been accepting 60 pupils per year since it open in 2018. It would mean the school’s two sites could eventually have 840 children by 2031. Additional primary school provision for the area was part of the original planning agreement for the new Beaulieu Park housing development which will eventually see the creation of 3,600 new homes.
A total of 383 responses were received has part of a consultation with 292 in favour. A new school had been discussed but this would have triggered a bidding process which would have allowed any academy trust to run it.
It has now been revealed that 39 respondents wanted the new provision to be a standalone school run by the New Hall Independent School’s Academy Trust (NHMAT) because of the close proximity of New Hall School and the level of facilities available which could be shared by the new provision.
Councillor Mike Mackrory, leader of the Lib Dem group, said at Essex County Council cabinet “It makes perfect sense for an all-through school for this additional primary school so that the students can go to the secondary school within a reasonable walking distance and will benefit from that.
“The Chelmsford learning partnership does have a very good reputation with its schools and I’m sure that this school would continue in that vein.”
Cabinet member for education Councillor Tony Ball added: “Officers have already started conversations with Beaulieu around the transportation between the two sites and solutions for that.
“And also I have had communications with governors at the trust at New Hall and my commitment is to engage very much between New Hall and Beaulieu and the county council to make sure this is a smooth successful school for the future.”