A consistent rise in demand has led to the need to create additional primary school places in the Southbank area of the city. To future-proof provision against forecast demand over the next ten years and beyond, a new building is proposed to provide 210 additional pupil places.

Scarcroft Primary School currently admits 45 Reception pupils a year and the annex would provide places for up to 75. For the school year beginning 1 September 2017, additional pupil places could be temporarily accommodated within Scarcroft Primary until the additional spaces are created.

The new building proposed on Millthorpe School land will be sited in an area not currently used as play space.

If approved, the project is expected to be completed for 1 September 2018 and the cost will be met from central Government’s basic needs funding.

Other options considered for meeting the demand were:

(a) provide no additional places in the Southbank area

(b) build accommodation for 210 (1 form entry (fe) each year) additional places, as an annex to Scarcroft Primary on the Millthorpe School site

(c) build a 210 (1 form entry) place primary school on the former Terry’s Car Park site at Nun Ings

(d) build a 315 (1.5 form entry) place school on land behind The Grove and The Square off Tadcaster Road

(e) build a 630 (3 form entry) place school at either Bishopthorpe Infant or Archbishop of York CE Junior school sites

Executive will take place on Thursday 28 January at West Offices from 5.30pm and is open to members of the public or is available to watch live online from: www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

NB. Some parents in the area are still embroiled in a battle over proposed “academy” status for local schools. A recent survey of views has apparently revealed that a majority of the parents, of children currently attending the schools, are opposed to the change.