A new primary school for Derby
Planning applications have been approved for around 1,194 dwellings within the Castleward and Derbyshire Royal Infirmary (DRI) developments. The sites sit to the south of Derby city centre. Based on Derby City Council’s standard pupil yield multiplier, it is anticipated that 133 primary school aged pupils will be generated by these developments, with limited capacity in the nearby existing primary schools. Further properties are anticipated in future phases of the Castleward development.
To accommodate the pupils from the Castleward and DRI developments, a new primary school is proposed to open in September 2021. The proposal is for the school to open initially with one form of entry (30 pupils per year group) and a 26 place nursery. The school will build pupil numbers incrementally, increasing by one new reception intake each year. The school is to be located to the couth of the city centre, within the Castleward development, with the front entrance off Carrington Street.
The one form of entry intake approach would remain under review should demand for pupil places from the housing developments increase in year groups that are yet to open. The school building and site will be constructed in order to have the capacity to increase to a one and a half forms of entry (45 pupils), with a 39 place nursery, should this be needed, as further phases of the Castleward development are built.
A one form of entry primary school, with the capacity to increase to one and a half forms of entry, is planned for the following reasons:
- The estimated pupil yield from the new housing is too high to be accommodated within the existing primary school provision.
- The school will provide primary places for future phases of the Castleward development, where numbers of pupils are currently unknown.
- A new school will increase choice and diversity for parents.
Derby City Council is, therefore, seeking proposals from appropriate sponsors to open this new school. This school would be deemed a free school.
Potential academy sponsors
Under Section 13 of the Education Act 1996, local authorities must ensure that primary and secondary education is available to meet the needs of the population of their area. The Education Act 2011 changed the arrangements for establishing new schools and introduced Section 6A (the academy/free school presumption) to the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Where a local authority identifies the need to establish a new school it must, in the first instance, seek proposals to establish an academy.
Key dates
The indicative timeline for the project is:
- Thursday 20 February 2020 - Invitation to submit a proposal is published -
- Thursday 23 April 2020 (5pm) - Closing date for submission of formal bids
- Tuesday 19 May or Wednesday 20 May 2020 - Shortlisted bidders to make formal presentation to Derby City Council selection panel
- Wednesday 3 June 2020 - Scoring of bids and identification of preferred bidder
- w/c Monday 13 July 2020 - Cabinet member approval sought in relation to preferred bidder
- Monday 27 July 2020 - Inform Department for Education (DfE) of preferred bidder
- August to December 2020 - Await Department for Education confirmation of sponsor for new academy
- September 2021 - New academy to open
Please note that the deadline for submitting bids to run the new primary school at Castleward, Derby, has been extended by 3 weeks to Thursday 23 April 2020.
The proposed opening date for the new school remains as September 2021.
How to apply
The information pack and specification includes further details on the proposed new school and the application process, including an application form:
Bids should arrive no later than 5pm on Thursday 2 April 2020.
Further information
If you would like further information, please contact Kate Illsley by telephone 01332 642733 or email school.proposals@derby.gov.uk.
Please note, the local authority-led, free school presumption is a different route to the DfEs free school programme. Further information about how to establish a new school via the DfEs free school programme route can be found on the GOV.UK website.