North Kingston school proposal news
Updates on Kingston Council's proposals to build a new secondary school on the North Kingston Centre and the Hawker Centre sites. News and links to relevant news and Council consultations etc below, the most recent at the top:
July 2011
Surrey Comet reports that Kingston is lobbying for its share of funding from the Government for new schools + that the site of Latchmere open prison may become available as an alternative and bigger site for the school, as the prison will be closed in September.
January 6 2011
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) has decided that Kingston Educational Trust will provide the proposed new secondary school in Kingston from September 2015, not the Diocese of Southwark. See http://www.kingston.gov.uk/information/news_and_events/news.htm?id=111406
November 2010
The consultation about who should run the proposed school – the Diocese of Southwark or the Kingston Education Trust – closed in October. A decision from the Schools Adjudicator is expected in December. Round about the same time we should hear whether there is in fact funding for the new school or not. A slightly revised planning brief for the school came out in October, and sharp-eyed Cllr Cunningham spotted some small changes from the brief published earlier this year and a few inconsistencies, which may or may not be significant: Latchmere Recreation Ground has been identified for possible school sports facilities; the requirement for innovative design has been omitted in one place but remains in another; specific reference to eight-form entry has been dropped in one place, though the pupil number trips elsewhere indicates eight forms; there is a requirement for a shared drop-off area. If the proposals go through, major concerns for CARA will be the impact of such a large new school on local traffic, road safety and parking.
RBK announces bids to run proposed new secondary school and public meeting and consultation, 3/9/10
Two proposals have been received from: Kingston Educational Trust – a partnership between the Local Authority, Kingston College and Kingston University for a Trust school - and Southwark Diocesan Board of Education for a Voluntary Aided Church of England School. A public meeting will be held on Friday 24 September 2010 at Fern Hill Primary School, Richmond Road, Kingston, KT2 5PE starting at 6.30pm. Both prospective school providers will present their bid and answer questions from the audience. The closing date for comments on the proposals is Friday 22 October 2010.
See http://www.kingston.gov.uk/information/news_and_events/news.htm?id=105810.
Humanists launch petition against new Kingston school being church-run, Surrey Comet, Wednesday 28th July 2010
Just a few days to respond to plans for new school on North Kingston Centre site - deadline July 31.
Local residents have till the end of July to comment on a draft Planning Brief for the proposed new secondary school in north Kingston. The draft Planning Brief provides planning guidance for the redevelopment of the North Kingston Centre site for a new secondary school for 11-18 year olds and covers all stages of the planning process. Around 4,000 homes and businesses within a half mile radius of the site will receive copies of the draft Planning Brief and you have until 31 July 2010 to register any comments either via the link below or using the pack you receive.
To view the briefing and to submit your feedback online, please see the links below:
North Kingston Centre Briefing Summary
North Kingston Centre Planning Brief
Feedback Form for North Kingston Centre Brief
or go to http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/planning/nkcbrief.htm
Funding withdrawn for new school as Government cuts Building Schools for the Future funding - but RBK plan to proceed with plans for the school, 6/6/10. 'In a statement, the Government said: “Rebuilding and refurbishing projects in these local authorities may go ahead under future capital investment programmes, shaped by the capital review – but they will no longer be funded under the existing programme.”' See http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/8256484.funding_for_new_Kingston_secondary_school_withdrawn/ and http://www.kingston.gov.uk/information/news_and_events/news.htm?id=101061
Religious preference a key concern for CofE bid for north Kingston secondary school, Surrey Comet, w/e 26/6/10
Give your view on plan for school on Richmond border with Kingston
Residents’ views are being sought on plans for a new secondary school on the Richmond border that could have an “adverse impact” on borough schools...The proposal for a school so large – with 240 children in each year – has attracted controversy. Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, who has the school in his constituency, said he had not spoken to anyone who wanted such a large school, and Councillor Paul Hodgins, Richmond Council cabinet member for schools, also expressed his fears... “A third of the students at Grey Court School, which is very close to the site, come from Kingston, as do a significant proportion at Christ’s. A new school of this size in north Kingston could have a significant adverse impact upon those schools’ recruitment.”...
Surrey Comet, w/e 26/6/10
According to the local press, there will also be drop in sessions at the North Kingston Centre onJuly 14th and July 18th.
Kingston Council has announced a competition to run the new North Kingston secondary school, scheduled to open in September 2015, and a seminar for potential proposers on Tuesday 18 May 2010, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
http://www.kingston.gov.uk/surrey_comet_advert_stage_1.pdf
See full consultation responses and RBK updates on the school at http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/education/schools/school_expansion/secondary_expansion.
"Cara comes out against north Kingston school proposals", Surrey Comet, 5th March 2010
New group will fight for Hawker Centre - first meeting Tues Feb 16th.
"No plan B" on north Kingston secondary school, meeting told, Surrey Comet, 15th February 2010
Next stage of consultation opens - see consultation document on RBK's website (closing date 25/2/10):
http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/education/schools/school_expansion/secondary_expansion/new_secondary_school_proposal.htm
Plans to place a sixth form on the site of the Hawker Centre have been dropped, as the council launches a formal consultation on proposals for a £30m eight form of entry secondary school on the North Kingston Centre site, reports Surrey Comet, 22/1/10.
North Kingston Hawker Centre sixth form plans could be binned, Surrey Comet, 28th September 2009
Kingston Council contemplates bid to overturn school places law, Surrey Comet, 17th August 2009
Sixth form plan will take our open land - objectors say centre should be on different site, Kingston Informer, 7 August, 2009
North Kingston school consultation extended, Surrey Comet, 7th August 2009
Residents rebel against north Kingston 'super-school', Surrey Comet, 30th July 2009
Parents angry about north Kingston school proposal, Surrey Comet,
27 July 2009
Kingston narrowly misses out on money for new school, Surrey Comet
20 July 2009
Parents cautiously welcome north Kingston secondary school sites announcement, Surrey Comet, 14th July 2009
Hawker Centre and North Kingston Centre to split new secondary school, Surrey Comet, 10th July 2009
Major boost for north Kingston school campaign, Surrey Comet, 4th December 2008
