PLANS for a new primary school in Okehampton will step up a gear in the New Year. The Office for Public Management (OPM), is urging parents? groups, local organisations and charitable companies to come forward and be involved in plans for the additional primary school in the town. The OPM is an independent organisation appointed by the Government Department for Children, Schools and Families (GDCSF) to support proposals for new schools in Devon. An OPM spokesman said: ?Anyone can come forward to establish a new school, as well as the local council, under new legislation. ?Proposers of the school will be responsible for appointing a governing body but the local authority, in most cases, will retain responsibility for financing the school.? Under the Education and Inspectors Act 2006, a competition is required where a local authority wishes to establish a new school, including when one is required to meet an increase in population. The new legislation is the result of the Government being particularly keen to encourage parent and community groups, who want to see improvements in local education provision, to come forward to set up new schools. OPM said: ?The Government wants to put parents and the needs of their children at the heart of the new school system.? On Thursday, January 17 there will a seminar at the Charter Hall in Okehampton that will provide information to community organisations and individuals who are interested in becoming a proposer of the new school. The seminar will set out what a successful proposer of a new primary school needs to do and explain how organisations and community-based groups can get GDCSF-funded support to help their bid. It will also clarify what needs to be done, if successful, in bidding to establish a new school. Following the seminar, formal proposals have to be submitted to the Director of Children and Young People?s Services at Devon County Council by 5pm on Monday, April 7. A public meeting will then be held to allow parents and members of Okehampton?s community to give their views on the different proposals received. A decision on who will establish the school is expected to be made in summer 2008. The new school, which will be built on the eastern edge of Okehampton between Exeter Road and Crediton Road, will cater for pupils aged between 3 and 11. It is planned to open in September 2010 and provide 210 places for boys and girls. There will also be 26 full-time equivalent early education places. OPM said: ?The school will be built to service the expanding community of Okehampton and future expansion, including the current outline planning application for 500 dwellings on land to the east of Okehampton. Additional places will be phased in to coincide with the rate of housing development in the area.? The school has to be built because with the current rate of expansion there will not be enough space at the existing Okehampton Primary School. Any parties interested in submitting a proposal to establish the new primary school in Okehampton, or anyone who wants to be invited to the seminar on January 17 2008, should contact Jasmine Miller at OPM on 020 72397825 or by e-mail [email protected]">[email protected]
