Sites are being explored for a new free school in south east Calderdale

The new senior school is required to meet the needs which are likely generated by Calderdale Council’s draft Local Plan, if it is approved.

Controversy has followed the progress of the draft plan in the area because a large percentage of potential sites, including garden suburbs at Woodhouse and Thornhill, near Brighouse, could see thousands of new homes built there.

New homes which could be built in neighbouring Kirklees resulting from their Local Plan could also put pressure on schools in the Brighouse and Rastrick areas, said Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge).

Reporting to full Calderdale council, he said the local authority’s officers have been helping identify sites for a proposed new free school.

One is now under consideration by the Department for Education (DfE), said Coun Wilkinson.

He did not divulge where the site under the department’s consideration is, but said the search has been for one “which would be best located to avoid adverse impact on other schools.”

In considering the site, the DfE are also liaising with neighbouring Kirklees Council to understand what potential impact new housing close to the Calderdale border is likely to have, said Coun Wilkinson.

“They will let us have their decision shortly as to whether the free school remains a viable proposal.

“Should this not progress then alternatives would have to be employed to ensure that sufficient school places exist,” he said.

Coun Wilkinson said the council was also in discussion with the department about creating more secondary school places in North Halifax.

Pressure for additional special needs and alternative provision school places remains high and although projects at Ravenscliffe in Halifax and at Rastrick are proceeding to alleviate immediate issues in the short term, the council needs to do more, he said.

Sites being explored will help support the council’s bids for capital funding from the DfE when opportunities present and give Calderdale an understanding of the cost it will need to cover is it has to meet these needs as part of statutory obligations.

An expression of interest has been submitted from special free school, and a similar expression will be submitted for an alternative provision free school, said Coun Wilkinson.

He also said a revised “fair access protocol” has been agreed with Calderdale’s secondary schools headteachers, which aims to ensure vulnerable hard-to-place pupils gain quicker access to school provision than currently.

At the moment access difficulties are due to a reluctance by certain schools to offer available places to pupils who have a “challenging” background, said Coun Wilkinson.