Steve Brine drops into St Bedes School in Winchester to see Summer works programme in full swing.
Many local parents will have experienced the distress in recent years of failing to get their children into the school of their choice. The problem is particularly acute in certain parts of the Winchester constituency, especially within the Primary sector.
Prospective Winchester MP Steve Brine featured the issue last month as the lead story on his Winchester and Chandler’s Ford Post newspaper, delivered to more than 40,000 homes across the area. He outlined Conservative plans to bring positive changes to significantly increase the number of good school places available to local parents if the Conservatives form the next Government. You can see more on this story and download the newspaper in full via our campaigns section here.
Steve is also working with his colleagues at Hampshire County Council to address the issue for the benefit of local parents now and they are making a strong team. One area particularly hit by the shortage of primary school places is St Barts in central Winchester, served by the excellent St Bedes Primary School. Faced with rising numbers of children and static places, Conservative-led Hampshire County Council is pursuing a £150,000 programme during Summer 2009 in readiness for September and the start of the new school year.
HCC’s capital works programme is funding the transformation of one part of the school which will see two large classrooms turned into three medium sized classrooms. The effect will be St Bedes is able to accept 65 pupils in September 2009 instead of its previous 40.
Steve Brine TV – you can also watch a short-film featuring Steve Brine and Cllr Kirk at St Bedes courtesy of SBTV. Click here!
Cllr David Kirk, the Executive Member for Childrens’ Services at the County Council said; “"The difficulty we have is that if we go over 30 children in a class in Reception year or year one / year two, we have to have another class teacher, so it is important we have the correct provision, and the numbers are increasing in this part of Winchester. St Bedes is a very good school, and people want to come here. There's some evidence to show that people have moved out of this part of Winchester as their children have got older, and younger families have moved in which has created a greater demand on the primary school.”
Steve Brine added; “The problem of school places is very real in some parts of Winchester and people raise it with me all the time. This is real action, putting their money where their mouth is, from Conservative-led Hampshire County Council to address the issue. All credit to them and the team from St Bedes for making this happen in time for September.”
The council is also working with Conservative-led Winchester City Council on a long-term programme to further increase the capacity of the school. More details on this exciting programme will follow in due course.
Pictured above; Steve with Cllr David Kirk of HCC at St Bedes taking a look at the work underway.
