Have a say on plans to expand the number of secondary school places

MEMBERS of the public across Warrington are being invited to have their say on plans to expand the number of secondary school places.

The borough council is inviting residents to participate in a consultation on the future of secondary school places.
As Warrington continues to grow, the council is working to ensure there are enough school places to meet the increasing demand.
Currently in primary schools there is a particularly large year group, with numbers increasing further each year, due to new housing developments and more people moving into the town.
This year group, which has just completed Year 4, is expected to grow further before entering secondary school in September 2026.
The council is proposing changes and is seeking feedback from the public on preliminary plans to expand secondary school places, with proposals including the expansion of existing schools and the creation of new places.

The plans in this consultation are designed to address this projected shortfall, which could be up to 120 Year 7 places in 2026. The proposal includes:
• Bruche Primary School – In partnership with Warrington Primary Academy Trust, the council has developed a proposal to transform Bruche Primary Academy into an all-through school, offering education from ages 5 to 16 from 2026
• Great Sankey High School – In partnership with Omega Multi-Academy Trust the council is considering a temporary increase in Year 7 intake from 375 to 435 students for 2026
• Padgate Academy, Lymm High School, Cardinal Newman Catholic High School – the council propose to temporarily increase school places for 2026
• Culcheth High School – the council proposes adjusting the admissions criteria to improve access for Croft village residents.
The consultation seeks residents’ views on whether more school places are needed by 2026, opinions on the proposed increase in places, and additional suggestions for meeting future demand.
Cllr Jean Flaherty, the council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “As our community grows, it’s important to plan for the future of our secondary schools, to ensure every child has access to quality education close to home. We encourage all residents to share their views, as your input will be crucial in shaping the future of school places in Warrington.”
The consultation is open until Friday September 27. For more information and to participate in the consultation, please visit warrington.gov.uk/consultations.