Lane End Primary School

Feasibility Study Update

Dear Parents/Carers,

As previously mentioned, we would like to invite you to a drop-in meeting with the governors about the Local Authority’s feasibility study which is looking at the possibility of developing Lane End to become a two form entry Primary School, starting with the intake of 2013/14.

The drop-in meeting will take place on Monday 19^th March from 6:30-7:30pm. At the start of the meeting

 the governors will give an overview of where we are at the moment and then there will be an opportunity to discuss your opinions with governors and ask questions.

We hope that you are able to make the meeting, but we also thought that it would be helpful to let everyone know in this letter where things are up to at the moment and what is to come:

• The Local Authority have started the feasibility study which is going to set out the challenges this project would face and suggest possible ways to overcome any potential problems.  Steps in this stage include ground inspections, traffic monitoring, analysis of the amount of playground, hall and communal space needed and scoping meetings with school to outline need.

• The Local Authority will feedback on the feasibility study to governors in the Summer term. A decision will then be made about whether to carry on to the planning stage in light of this report and the challenges and possible solutions which have been raised.

• Were the planning stage to go ahead then it would involve Local Authority consultation with parents and residents and ongoing meetings with a governing body project group. Any plans would need to incorporate classroom space for seven additional classes, increased hall capacity, ICT facilities, toilet and cloakroom facilities, increased communal spaces and playground areas. We envisage that the road access will be a major hurdle and this will need to be planned for accordingly with safety, parking and traffic flow all being taken into account and solutions found. 

Were the development to go ahead then it would create the space needed for the children of Cheadle Hulme, bring major investment to the school and increase funding into the future – this would be positive for the school and allow for modern up-to-date facilities and resources for all of the children. Just to reiterate, the intake of 2013 and subsequent intakes would be two-form. All existing classes would remain as one form as they went through the school, which would mean that Lane End would only be a full two form school by 2019. However, naturally, resources and facilities would be able to be used by and to benefit all of the children.

  It is worth mentioning that the friendly ethos of the school and our community feel is held in high regard by the governors and maintaining this would be very important to us were the development to go ahead.  We want to do what is in the best interest for both the children we have now and the children who will be starting school in the future.

As we mentioned in the last letter, the Governing Body is determined to be transparent and communicate effectively with parents throughout this process. As well as the meeting next week, the section on the VLE for your thoughts and questions is still available and we will continue to let you know more as we know more.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Yours sincerely, 

Ashley Elliott                                                  James Twigg

Chair of Governors                                          Headteacher