This representation is made by Hertfordshire County Council’s (HCC) Growth & Infrastructure Unit. Please see the below comments;

The Neighbourhood Plan contains the following two paragraphs. These are as follows;

1.9.5 Barley and Barkway VA Church of England First Schools Federation provides our children with a good primary education; however, the school is having to turn away children at nursery and reception ages because there are only 15 places per year for each of these age groups. Major redevelopment of the Barkway school buildings is required to provide 25 places for nursery and reception and to bring the teaching and learning environment up to modern standards.

4.6.1 There are currently surplus places at most age levels at local schools. The exception is for nursery and reception in the Barley and Barkway VA Church of England First Schools Federation for which only 15 places are available for each year’s intake, leading to children having to be turned away. A major redevelopment of the Barkway premises is required to increase capacity to at least 25 for nursery and reception and to update the teaching and learning environment of the school. Pressure on the places for these younger age groups would increase if BK3 were to proceed.


1.9.5 & 4.6.1: These paragraphs are not accurately written as is explained below. HCC would like to see these paragraphs re-written.

The Barley and Barkway Schools are in a Federation, the Published Admission Number (PAN) of Barley Church of England First School is 15 and the PAN of Barkway Church of England First School is 12, so in total the two schools currently offer 27 places. The nursery, Reception and Year 1 pupils are taught at the Barkway School site and Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 pupils are taught at the Barley School site.

The summer 2024 school census data indicates the following numbers of pupils on roll:

School Name
Barkway (VA) C of E First
Year N - 18
Year R - 8
Year 1 - 10
Total = 36

Barley C of E (VA) First
Year 2 - 10
Year 3 - 13
Year 4 - 8
Total = 31

Both paragraphs 1.9.5 and 4.6.1 reference that a redevelopment of the premises is needed. There are already building works currently proposed at the Barkway School which have planning permission to make the current buildings more fit for purpose as the classrooms are small. The two schools are now combining PAN, there are technically the places for 27 1st preferences. These works are funded partly by the Diocese/school and partially S106 monies on the basis that if HCC needed them to expand their PAN by one or two places in the future they would. HCC has a signed funding agreement letter to this effect.

The Table above however demonstrates that the combined PANs are not at full capacity and HCC considers that there is sufficient capacity to mitigate demand from the new housing growth (including BK3 which has planning permission). The statement in both paragraphs that the school is turning away pupils in Reception is not true as there is no unmet demand currently in the village or the local area.

HCC therefore requests that using this information, both paragraphs 1.9.5 and 4.6.1 are entirely re-written to make it clear that there is sufficient capacity at the schools with more than 15 places available and that children are not being turned away.

HCC welcomes a discussion on these matters if useful, however no contact has been made to HCC by the school with any concerns over capacity.