Telford & Wrekin Council has given all partybacking to radical plans for a new look to primary school education.
The scheme will now go to the Government for approval after being approved by the borough cabinet this week.
The Primary Strategy for Change blueprint will now go to the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
It envisages building three new primary schools across the borough over the next 10 years, extending at least six existing ones over the next five to six years and merging others.
The leader of the Tory-run council, Andrew Eade, told the meeting: “It is a good document, it is a good way forward and I think this will prove to be the means of keeping Telford and Wrekin at the cutting edge of education.”
Both Labour group leader Councillor Keith Austin and Liberal Democrat chief Councillor Bill Tomlinson said they welcomed the proposals.
The plans submitted would see new schools built to serve the Lightmoor, Hadley Quarry and Lawley Village areas.
They would form just part of a long-term strategy - called Campus Telford and Wrekin - to create at least eight new Learning Communities which would consist of groups of primary, secondary and in some cases special schools so as to cater for children from the very start of their education to when they leave.
Those primary schools to be extended under the plan would be Newdale, Lawley, Meadows, Teagues Bridge, Priorslee and Hadley Learning Centre.
The Donnington schools would be merged, with the infants’ and children’s centre being co-located on the juniors’ site, Madeley Nursery would be moved onto the same site as Madeley Infants and John Fletcher Junior School, the William Reynolds infant and junior school buildings would be merged and Church Aston Infants would be co-located onto the Moorfield Primary School site.
The Lakeside Learning Community would be created on the Stirchley site and comprise the Lord Silkin, Three Oaks and Stirchley Primary Schools while Woodlands Primary and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary would be co-located onto their respective, linked secondary schools, namely the Abraham Darby Academy and the Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College
Councillor Stephen Burrell, lead member for children and young people, said the blueprint had been drawn up in response not only to falling pupil numbers in some parts of the borough but also to expanded housing development in others.
He stressed that the council would continue to work closely with schools and the wider community over the proposed changes.
