The investment would allow a complete re-configuration of the school entrance to improve traffic flow and the parking layout. This will considerably improve the site security and safety of students and will address issues with the site’s vehicular and pedestrian access.  At present, the route to the main Reception is unclear with little distinction between vehicular and pedestrian access, this layout can be particularly problematic at drop off and pick up times due to the high number of vehicles which access the site as a large number of pupils travel to school by coaches.  The site is also very open with multiple access points which has raised concerns around site security, student safety, and safeguarding on site.   

Reconfiguring the layout requires significant investment and would not be possible through other sources of funding. These proposals would enable the College to make the entrance safer, easier to use, and easier to manage.  The key feature of the layout will be a secure boundary and safeguarding line ensuring that pupils are unable to leave the site without approval as well as ensuring unauthorised people are unable to access the site unsupervised.  The front access would be reconfigured to provide a turning circle to improve the flow of traffic. This would reduce the risk of accidents, create dedicated drop-off bays for school transport, provide secure cycle storage to promote and encourage more sustainable modes of transport and provide a new clearly sign posted accessible route directing visitors to the main Reception. This provides a better welcome for visitors to be greeted, signed in, and supervised.   

With the proposal to install an All-Weather Pitch (AWP) at the top of the site (as orientated on the maps provided) there is an opportunity to clearly demarcate the use of the facilities by both the pupils and community groups. As part of the reconfiguration, there will be an access point to the new AWP through the car park. This will be solely for community and out of school hour’s use.  It will be locked whilst the school is in operation, then opened at the appropriate times for community groups.  Access will be restricted to the AWP with a secure perimeter fencing around it to prevent users accessing the rest of the school site. This significantly improves the security of the site as well as providing a dedicated access route for community groups and out-of-hours use. 

The proposed new configuration is shown below. This is indicated in the Spatial Framework Design drawing as items 1 to 9: 

1. All public buses to use existing, designated bus stops on road (A385). 
2. New bus/coach drop-off created from grass verge either side of entrance driveway – 7 to 8 spaces x4 spaces inbound x3 spaces outbound. 
3. Utilise existing pedestrian footpaths wherever possible. Consider widening these to create dedicated cycleway to the College. 
4. New turn-around facility with central art/cultural feature. Improvements to traffic movement with the addition of a high-quality turn-around for all school coaches, minibuses and drop offs. 
5. Ariel Suite reconfigured to provide new dedicated 6th form facilities with new entrance landscaping, new dedicated student entrance, new classrooms and private external courtyard. 
6. New parking facility for school, public and club use after school and at weekends. Refurbished and altered surface parking behind new ‘vegetative screen’ creating; increased cycle parking, minibus parking (x7 spaces), relocated parking (57 spaces). 
7. New changing facility for public and club use with direct access into AWP. 
8. New AWP with security fencing, run off areas and lighting allowing dedicated access for out of school use and secure use for the College during school opening hours 
9. New line of safeguarding for school. Secure gate that prevents access to rest of the College site as and when required. 

Principal’s statement

“We are lucky to have a large site with lots of open, green spaces available to us - the downside of this is that the overall site is open with no defined entrance and exit, this redesign of the site will enable colleagues to have a clear line of safeguarding which no individuals are able to move beyond without permission. 

When community groups use the facility they will also benefit from this increased security and safety, and we will also be able to better limit their access to parts of the site that are exclusively for school use. 

Our paramount concern at all times is student safety and this proposal will create a more safe and secure site that will support us in keeping students safe at all times.” 

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