Residents are reminded that they still have three weeks to comment on proposals to move Torbay School to Parkfield and on the opening of a new Primary School in Paignton.

In February 2016 full Council approved a proposal to move Torbay School from its current location at Torquay Road, Paignton, to the grounds of Parkfield Youth Centre. The proposal, which includes providing purpose built accommodation for secondary pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, will also allow its pupils sole access to Parkfields facilities during school hours. The facilities at Parkfield will still be available for the Youth Trust to use outside of school hours and during school holidays.

This consultation will form part of the feedback to officers and councillors to make the decision on the relocation of Torbay School to Parkfield. If the move is approved this will provide the council with an opportunity to open a new primary school on their current site.

Torbay Council has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient school places to meet demand, and like other Local Authorities, Torbay is experiencing an increase in the demand for school places due to new housing, high birth rates and families with children moving in and out of the area. With all other viable and affordable options exhausted, including expanding existing schools, if numbers continue to rise the only way the council can meet its statutory duty is by opening a new school.

The proposal is for a new free school that would have space for 210 primary aged children with early year’s provision. The school would admit 30 pupils per year across the seven year groups and will offer 52 part time nursery places. The council will work with the Regional Commissioners Officer and the Department for Education to ensure that a suitable sponsor is identified to run it. The preferred opening date for the new school is for the start of the 2018 academic year.

The consultation for the new school forms part of a statutory process and relates directly to the council’s duty for providing school places and the impact on teaching and learning for Torbay children and young people.

Both consultations can be found online at www.torbay.gov.uk/consultation and paper copies are available from all Connection Offices and libraries. The Torbay School consultation will close on Monday 30 May 2016 and a decision will be made early in June 2016. The new primary school consultation will finish on Thursday 2 June 2016 and a decision will be made towards the end of July 2016.

All responses to these consultations will be taken into account during the final decision making.