ELEVEN schools have protested against early plans being formed by Tollbar and the council to build a new primary in Waltham.
The council wants to build a new school to cope with a shortfall in places as new houses are created in Waltham, but this has angered nearby schools with dwindling pupil numbers.
The Tollbar Academy Family of Schools – which includes Cleethorpes Academy and soon to include Reynolds Primary – would run the new school, which would be built on a section of Tollbar's playing field.
The plan is in the very early stages as bids for Government funding are prepared.
If successful, it would open in 2015 with an initial intake of 15 pupils and would be accessed from a large layby that was part of Scartho Road before the Peaks Parkway.
It is believed the school will help bridge the shortfall of primary school places in the area, which will rise by nearly 1,200 to 13,409 by the 2015-2016 academic year, according to Department for Education predictions.
However, a group of 11 schools nearby have joined together to oppose the new build, angry that Tollbar has apparently been brought to primary education without consultation.
Allie Majer, the chairman of the North East Lincolnshire Village Schools group, is also the head of East Ravendale Church of England Primary School Academy.
She said: "Many schools in our group are really struggling with numbers yet another provider has been brought and heads have not even been told."
Last week, 109 families in the North East Lincolnshire did not get a place at their first-choice primary – and there are plans for more than 1,000 new homes in Humberston and New Waltham at various stages of the planning process. Waltham Leas Primary Academy, the nearest school to the proposed location and opposing the plan, is currently oversubscribed and in talks with the council to offer "bulge classes" to let fewer applicants down.
Head teacher Rob Beel said: "We want to serve our community in the best way possible and do not like saying no, although it may be better to fill other schools in the catchment area before building another."
Councillor Ian Lindley, portfolio holder for people services at the council, said: "The Government has released two funding streams for which local authorities can bid for an allocation. The Targeted Basic Need fund, of £982 million, is for "the expansion of good or outstanding schools or academies or for new build academies where pupil place shortfalls are identified". The 16-19 Demographic Growth fund, of £80 million, is to "create additional student places where shortfalls are identified against population growth'.
"The council intends to submit bids and has been consulting headteachers on the detail, including offering diversity of provision to give parents more choice. The closing date for bids is April 30.
"These are only proposals. There is no guarantee we will be successful.
"Head teachers are being consulted prior to the submission of bids." "
David Hampson, chief executive of Tollbar Family of Academies, said: "In a couple of years, there will be a shortage of primary places. The council's proposal would seek to address this issue.
"This would mean that Tollbar Academy would become the first 3-19 education provider in this area.
"We are happy this proposal would not put any extra pressure on the local traffic situation and would provide a safe and convenient entrance and exit for the primary school on land that is already owned by the local authority. Land alongside Scartho Road at the end of our main school lends itself perfectly to a primary school, as it is too wet for sports and has no other use."
