The Downshire Hill Residents' Association held a well-attended meeting to discuss the proposed new school development at the Police Station site. Representatives from the school outlined their vision: a welcoming, inclusive institution for children aged 4 to 11 of all faiths and none, which has already achieved an 'outstanding' OFSTED rating. The school is currently home to 90 students and aims to grow to a capacity of 420 by 2023, operating across seven year groups with two classes per year. The representatives acknowledged that this growth will be carefully managed, with plans to maintain continuity for students throughout their seven years at the school, and confirmed their commitment to regular consultation with the local community as the project develops.
Several key planning matters remain under discussion or yet to be finalised. A feasibility study is currently underway, with pre-planning conversations happening between the local authority's heritage and traffic planning teams. The façades facing Downshire Hill and Rosslyn Hill will see minimal changes, with developments focused at the rear of the building. Potential uses for additional space include a school hall with playground on top, though final decisions on the car park area have not yet been made. The school is particularly mindful of traffic and safety concerns, and intends to strongly discourage car drop-offs whilst recognising this remains a widespread practice at many local schools.
The school's representatives were keen to emphasise their sensitivity to the needs of the neighbourhood, particularly regarding noise management, which will form an important part of the planning application. They committed to introducing the community to the project architects to enable meaningful consultation, and undertook to provide further details about the criteria for catchment area consultations. The meeting closed with appreciation for the open and thorough discussion, with the school team pledging to remain engaged with residents throughout the development process.