Expansion of St Edburg's Church of England (VA) School

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Consultation has concluded

UPDATE: following this consultation, the proposal was approved by the Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services on 11 November 2020. Details are available on the council website.

In accordance with The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 (‘the Prescribed Alterations Regulations’), Oxfordshire County Council is publishing this proposal to:

  • Expand St Edburg’s CoE (VA) School from 420 primary places to 630 primary places.
  • Expand St Edburg’s CoE (VA) School onto an additional “satellite” site.
  • Extend the age range of St Edburg’s CoE (VA) School from 3-11 to 2-11.

The alterations would be implemented as of 1 September 2023.

This proposal aims to:

  • Ensure sufficient primary and nursery education places for the population of the Kingsmere development in SW Bicester.
  • Increase the percentage of families living in SW Bicester who are able to secure a place at their preferred primary school.
  • Be supportive of high educational standards.
  • Support the long-term financial viability of Bicester’s primary schools.

To inform this proposal, an open consultation was carried out by the county council between 15 June and 13 July 2020. That consultation is available here: https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/KingsmerePrimary/consultationHome. If you responded to that consultation, thank you, as your response helped shaped this proposal. Please be aware that your response will not be carried forward to this consultation, so you should respond again if you wish to support or object to the proposal.

The full details of this proposal are included in the full St Edburg's Statutory Proposal document here. Please read this document before responding.

Key features of this proposal include:

  • St Edburg's CE School would split onto two sites. The Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1 (Year 1 & 2) would move to a new site in the north west of the Kingsmere development, with purpose-built accommodation; Key Stage 2 pupils (Years 3-6) would remain at the current site on Pioneer Way.
  • Both sites would offer flexible start and finish times and wraparound care. A "Walking Bus" would operate between the sites so that families with children based at both sites could drop them off at one site, and school staff would then walk the older pupils to the Pioneer Way site, and back again at the end of the day.
  • The school's Nursery accommodation would be expanded from one room to three rooms, allowing them to meet the needs of the growing local population and extend their age range down to 2-year-olds.
  • Although split across two sites, the school would remain legally and administratively a single school, with a single management and governance structure. Once pupils are admitted into Reception there would have the right to stay at the school right through to Year 6 without families having to reapply for a "junior" place.

The public notice, as published in the Bicester Advertiser on 25 September, advertising the proposal is here.

To respond to this consultation, please complete the online feedback form

Alternatively, you may respond by:

The decision whether to approve this proposal will be taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services within 2 months of the end of this representation period. It is currently expected to be taken on 11 November 2020.



UPDATE: following this consultation, the proposal was approved by the Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services on 11 November 2020. Details are available on the council website.

In accordance with The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 (‘the Prescribed Alterations Regulations’), Oxfordshire County Council is publishing this proposal to:

  • Expand St Edburg’s CoE (VA) School from 420 primary places to 630 primary places.
  • Expand St Edburg’s CoE (VA) School onto an additional “satellite” site.
  • Extend the age range of St Edburg’s CoE (VA) School from 3-11 to 2-11.

The alterations would be implemented as of 1 September 2023.

This proposal aims to:

  • Ensure sufficient primary and nursery education places for the population of the Kingsmere development in SW Bicester.
  • Increase the percentage of families living in SW Bicester who are able to secure a place at their preferred primary school.
  • Be supportive of high educational standards.
  • Support the long-term financial viability of Bicester’s primary schools.

To inform this proposal, an open consultation was carried out by the county council between 15 June and 13 July 2020. That consultation is available here: https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/KingsmerePrimary/consultationHome. If you responded to that consultation, thank you, as your response helped shaped this proposal. Please be aware that your response will not be carried forward to this consultation, so you should respond again if you wish to support or object to the proposal.

The full details of this proposal are included in the full St Edburg's Statutory Proposal document here. Please read this document before responding.

Key features of this proposal include:

  • St Edburg's CE School would split onto two sites. The Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1 (Year 1 & 2) would move to a new site in the north west of the Kingsmere development, with purpose-built accommodation; Key Stage 2 pupils (Years 3-6) would remain at the current site on Pioneer Way.
  • Both sites would offer flexible start and finish times and wraparound care. A "Walking Bus" would operate between the sites so that families with children based at both sites could drop them off at one site, and school staff would then walk the older pupils to the Pioneer Way site, and back again at the end of the day.
  • The school's Nursery accommodation would be expanded from one room to three rooms, allowing them to meet the needs of the growing local population and extend their age range down to 2-year-olds.
  • Although split across two sites, the school would remain legally and administratively a single school, with a single management and governance structure. Once pupils are admitted into Reception there would have the right to stay at the school right through to Year 6 without families having to reapply for a "junior" place.

The public notice, as published in the Bicester Advertiser on 25 September, advertising the proposal is here.

To respond to this consultation, please complete the online feedback form

Alternatively, you may respond by:

The decision whether to approve this proposal will be taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services within 2 months of the end of this representation period. It is currently expected to be taken on 11 November 2020.