A consultation into the creation of hundreds of new school places in Chichester, Bognor Regis, Angmering, Rustington and Shoreham has been launched by West Sussex County Council.
The extra places are needed due to an increase in the number of children being born locally, people moving to the area and large housing developments.
The expansion of a number of existing schools is being proposed and people are being asked to give their views on the plans online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/haveyoursay.
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Jeremy Hunt, said: “We have been closely monitoring the number of children in schools in these areas to make sure they can meet the demand for places.
“Last year we received new information about the number of pre-school children who currently live in the area and the further growth in the number of children that is expected in the future.”
The proposals involve the expansion of the following schools:
• East Preston Infant and Junior schools
• Nyewood Infant and Junior schools, Bognor Regis
• Parklands Primary School, Chichester
• Rustington Primary (Academy) School
• Buckingham Park School, Shoreham
• St Nicolas and St Mary’s CE Primary School, Shoreham
• The Glebe Primary School, Shoreham
Further details can be found in a consultation document available online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/haveyoursay or in local libraries.
Jeremy added: “We anticipate that the current high demand for places will continue so it is important we act now to provide places for the growing number of children.”
The deadline for comments on the proposals is Friday 17 July 2015.
The County Council is working in partnership with schools to coordinate the consultation on their behalf. Comments will be collated and analysed before being passed to the relevant schools. The individual governing bodies of each school will make the final decision about each proposal.
New buildings would be subject to separate consultations in line with the usual planning application process.
Expansions of schools in the north of the County were subject to separate consultation last year.
