NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL
COMPLETE PROPOSAL FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OTHER THAN
FOUNDATION PROPOSALS: EXPANSION (ENLARGEMENT OF PREMISES),
CLIFFORD C OF E INFANT
Original proposal: The proposal is to alter the upper age limit to become a through primary
school for children aged 4-11 years from 1 September 2019.
Date of publication: The Complete Proposal was published on the Sheffield City Council
website https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/about-us/consultation/school-places.html, and a
notice was published in the Sheffield Telegraph on October 22nd 2015. A copy of the Complete
Proposal is below.
Reason for withdrawal:
Sheffield City Council has been holding a consultation process about proposed changes to some
primary schools and also plans to build two new secondary schools in the city.
The council has proposed these changes in order for it to meet demand for school places in the
north east and south west of the city.
We had a phenomenal response to the consultation process, with over 1,400 responses
submitted.
We had to decide whether it was best to give ourselves more time to make the decision or go with
the original timescales.
We decided that we wanted to take more time to reflect on all the responses, as so many were
submitted to the council, rather than make any decision hastily.
We especially wanted to extend this time because of the other options which have come forward
during the consultation. We want to take seriously all of these submissions and listen to what
people want.
However, this means that legally we have to withdraw our statutory notice to expand Clifford C of
E Infant School - this is because the notice will expire in January, before a decision can be taken.
The withdrawal is a consequence of extending the time we need to make this decision and is
purely procedural.
However, this will not affect any outcome for the school. A notice would be published, if required,
following the Council’s decision.
A formal decision on these plans is now expected to be given during February by the Council’s
Cabinet.
21st December 2015
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Sheffield City Council is consulting on proposals for providing more primary and
secondary school places in the north east and south west of Sheffield where significant
population growth means more school places are needed over the next few years. The
consultation documents and more information can be found at
www.sheffield.gov.uk/schoolplaces.
A prescribed statutory consultation process applies to proposed changes covered by the
School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to maintained Schools) (England)
Regulations 2013 and (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations
2013. The publication of this Statutory Proposal therefore starts a four week
Representation (formal consultation) period, which will be conducted simultaneously and
as part of the wider consultation.
No decisions have been taken yet – we are asking for views on the proposals.
We expect Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet to consider the outcome of the consultation
in January 2016. At this meeting councillors will take into account the views submitted
during the consultation before making a decision on which proposals should be given the
go ahead.
COMPLETE PROPOSAL FOR PRESCRIBED ALTERATIONS
OTHER THAN FOUNDATION PROPOSALS: ALTERATION OF
UPPER AGE LIMIT BY THREE YEARS OR MORE, CLIFFORD
CHURCH OF ENGLAND INFANT SCHOOL
School and Local Authority details
Clifford Church of England Infant School (Voluntary Aided), 108 Psalter Lane, Sheffield, S11 8YU
The proposer is Sheffield City Council.
(Contact: School Organisation Team, Level 5, North Wing, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PL
Description of alteration and evidence of demand
Clifford Church of England Infant School is a Church of England Voluntary Aided school for
children aged 4-7 years. The proposal is to alter the upper age limit to become a through primary
school for children aged 4-11 years.
Objectives (including how the proposal would increase educational standards
and parental choice)
The school was judged Good following its most recent Ofsted inspection published in July 2012.
In conjunction with other proposals in the South West of Sheffield, the expansion of age range will
create junior places for the children that attend Clifford Infant who currently feed to Ecclesall
Junior School to complete their Primary education within one setting.
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The effect on other schools, academies and educational institutions within the
area
The proposal is being brought forward as part of a range of proposals to satisfy demand in the
south west of Sheffield where the overall increase in births is supplemented by young families
moving to live in the area. An expansion to create Junior places at Clifford would free up 30
places at Ecclesall Junior School. There is a separate proposal to expand Ecclesall Infant School
to create 30 additional places.
A consultation document ‘Providing more school places for Sheffield children’ which outlines
proposals across the city is available at www.sheffield.gov.uk/schoolplaces.
Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long term
value for money will be achieved
The capital costs of the proposal will be met in full from the Basic Need funding allocated to
Sheffield City Council. This would be a permanent expansion negating the need for further
temporary expansions in the foreseeable future.
Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation
It is proposed that the school will offer 30 junior places per year from 1st September 2019.
Consultation Responses: support; objections and comments
Any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by completing the online survey or
completing an online comment form at www.sheffield.gov.uk/schoolplaces.
Written responses can be sent to:
Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families
c/o Anna Paxton
School Organisation Team
Level 5, North Wing
Moorfoot
Sheffield
S1 4PL
The closing date for responses is 20th November 2015.
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