Burnham Copse Primary School in line to take 105 extra pupils (From This is Hampshire)

Burnham Copse Primary School in line to take 105 extra pupils

5:00pm Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News By Helen Morton

A TADLEY primary school is set for big changes.

Burnham Copse Primary School is likely to boost the number of new pupils it admits each year from 30 to 45, bringing the total number of school places from 210 to 315.

The plans are set to be discussed after the school was earmarked to receive more money from Hampshire County Council as part of £250million set aside for the school capital and building programme.

A plan to increase the size of Burnham Copse, in Newchurch Road, is on the list of projects, and formal statutory consultation will now start with the school governors, parents and all other interested bodies.

Cllr Marilyn Tucker, right, who is assistant lead member for children’s services at the council, said it is very good news for the Tadley area.

The Tadley and Baughurst division councillor said: “We are fortunate in Tadley to have such first-class schools.

“Tadley has new houses being built at the moment so it is clear that schools have to grow as well.

“I am pleased to see this provision is in the forward plan and I trust there will be a positive response in the consultation. Undoubtedly, if the birth rate continues to rise, we will have to make provision for further future expansion, but this is a good first step.”

Penny Waterfield, chairman of the Burnham Copse school governors, said the question of expansion is still very much “up in the air”.

She said: “We have been taking in extra numbers over the last school year and we are in discussions with the county council at the moment about the possibility of doing so on a permanent or semi-permanent basis.

“If the council needs us to take in more children, we will need additional space.” She stressed that additional space would require additional funding. “All our funding goes on the children’s education,” she explained.