Primary school in Harborough proposes change to catchment so it can accommodate children on new estate

A primary school is proposing a change to its catchment area to cater for children on a new estate.

Meadowdale Primary School is the closest to the new Davidson Homes development off Kettering Road.

A new school is set to be built and the estate falls into the catchment area for Little Bowden Primary School - but Meadowdale is physically the closest to the development.

Staff at Meadowdale say there is space to accommodate the expected number of additional children without affecting the availability of places for children in the school’s current catchment area.

A school spokeswoman said: “With more than 300 new homes due to be built on the site in future phases of the development, the proposed change would allow Meadowdale to share part of Little Bowden Primary School’s catchment area so that families moving into the new development have the choice of two catchment schools.”

Catchment area is only used to determine the order in which places are allocated if the school is over-subscribed, with children in the catchment being given higher priority.

Parents can send their child to any school that has places available whether or not they live in the catchment area.

The extension would see the catchment area spread further between Kettering Road and Braybrooke Road to include the new home development.

If given the green light it would see the school’s pupil numbers stay the same as its current level of 420, and fill current vacant places.

Click here to fill out the consultation before January 10 or here to see the full plans.