Last updated 19:39, Thursday, 10 April 2008

EDUCATION leaders are drawing up radical plans to transform Cumbria’s primary education.

Up to £150 million will be invested over 15 years to upgrade buildings and shape education.

Council chiefs say the Government’s push to have a strategy ready by mid-June is an opportunity to think about how to improve standards.

The Strategy for Cumbria’s Primary Schools document suggests all-age schools, from five to 18, could be created and clusters of small schools would be expected to share resources and expertise.

John Swainston, Cumbria County Council’s head of schools and learning, said: “We have got a chance to look 10 to 15 years into the future and discuss what learning is going to be like in terms of the curriculum, buildings and ICT and what we want to do.“The Government has committed some capital for developing primary schools but unlike what has happened with secondary schools it is going to be over a longer length of time and so it will come through as more of a trickle rather than all at once.

“This strategy is at an early stage. We want a debate on this. How often do we have the chance to shape the future?”

He added that issues that threaten to hamper children’s learning must be addressed, including surplus places when the number of empty desks in primary schools is predicted to almost double in five years.

Around 10 per cent of the places – a total of 4,534 – at Cumbria’s 279 primaries are vacant, putting an added burden on school budgets.

This is set to rise to more than 8,300 over the next five years as the current roll of 37,850 falls to 34,043.

Schools with high rates of surplus places could be at risk.

There are 20 Cumbrian schools in that category, a figure that could rise to 35 within the five years.

A £50 million backlog of maintenance on primary schools could also influence future options.

The cost of the backlog per square metre varies between £34 and £383 or between £216 and £6,445 per pupil.The figures vary so much because the costs are much higher per pupil in the smallest schools.

Cumbria’s strategy looks to create four main models for schools based on the principles of: boosting technology; diversity and parental choice; serving the community and being efficient and viable.

It states that all-through schools with the opportunity to provide extended services such as children’s centres could be the best option for urban areas. All-age schools could also be considered in some areas.

The smallest primary schools in the most isolated places are seen as vital and must be retained but these schools need to be supported by other schools.

Cumbria is one of 150 local authorities due to submit primary school strategies to the Department for Children, Schools and Families by mid-June.

County councillors will discuss the strategy in May and June and it is handed over to the DCSF.