19 November 2019
Where do we need schools?
With all the development that has occurred/is occurring around the area, the need for school places has never been more acute.
In the East of Nuneaton, there are no school places available in most year groups. This is especially an issue for families moving into the new developments mid-year. We have had hundreds of new homes built on this side of the town and only one school has been provided. Lower Farm Academy opened in temporary accommodation on the Lower Farm development (Taylor Wimpey) in Weddington in September 2019, with a Reception year intake. As these children move up , the school will gradually expand. This helps those with young children but does not help anyone with children already in other year groups.
We are aware of families on new developments in the Weddington and St Nicolas areas who are having to take children to schools in Stockingford and Bedworth or who have left their children at schools in Coventry. We are also aware of children who have been out of school for some time because the families are unable to get the children into local schools and are unable to travel further afield. This should not be the situation in 2019.
The situation is likely to be repeated in Galley Common, where there is also large amounts of development taking place and the only infant school is at capacity and junior and senior provision is in Hartshill.
Not having local school place affects everyone as it means more people are driving across town , adding to the congestion and air pollution.
There is talk of a new secondary school on the Top Farm site on Higham Lane. Whilst we will almost certainly need another secondary school in Nuneaton (Manor Park should never have been closed), it seem madness to have another secondary school in the same area as two exisitng schools - the new site would be not much more than a mile from Etone College and only about half a mile from Higham Lane School. A much more sensible location would be on the site on Eastboro Way, near the Crow's Nest which is already ear-marked for development and is owned by Warwickshire County Council.
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