Plans to double the capacity of a Kenilworth primary school and add extra special needs and disability (SEND) places will be the subject of a four-week public consultation.

It is proposed that St John's Primary School and Nursery, on Mortimer Road, has "several new extensions", increasing from one to two forms of entry – the number of classes in each year group – from September 2024 to boost the capacity by 210 pupils over the next seven years. 

Warwickshire County Council is also proposing to establish specialist resourced provision for up to 14 primary school aged children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) that can be catered for in a mainstream school. The council's report states they will be children whose "primary needs are social, emotional and mental health". 

Councils are legally obliged to consult the public on such plans with parents at the schools set to be communicated with via the school directly.

Other schools and stakeholders will be notified of the proposal with further information to be placed on the county council's consultation platform Ask Warwickshire at some stage between now and November. 

It is to address an anticipated "significant pressure" on school places created by housing developments in the Kenilworth area. 

The council's report reads: "Current and proposed housing development in Kenilworth town is forecast to increase reception cohorts and applications to other year groups over the next five years. 

"It is proposed to increase the number of primary places in Kenilworth by expanding St John's Primary School from one-form entry (210 places) to two-form entry (420 places).

"In order to meet forecast demand and build on the local offer of specialist provision, the local authority is continuing the development of specialist resourced provision across the county where pupils, who are cognitively able to access the curriculum, can have their needs met and benefit from being located on site alongside a mainstream school environment.

"If the proposal is agreed, capital works would be initiated to ensure additional accommodation is in place to allow the school to operate with increased numbers and for the specialist resourced provision to open in September 2024."

Feasibility work and final costings are set to follow if the consultation results in in-principle support of the project.

"Initial feasibility assessments have indicated that the works associated with the proposed development would include several new extensions of the existing school along with internal remodelling works to the existing building," the report adds.