A MAJOR shake-up of school places in the Millbrook and Redbridge area is being proposed as education bosses try to solve the problem of Southampton's falling birth rates.
They have put forward eight possible options including the closure of the 126-pupil Mansel Infant and 161-pupil Junior Schools, which together have 133 spare places (32 per cent.)
Other proposals include amalgamating the schools, reducing the admission numbers of Tanners Brook Infant and Junior Schools, and extending Redbridge Primary.
At least 400 surplus places need to be removed because of dwindling pupil numbers due to falling birth rates.
Other schools affected are Mason Moor Primary, Newlands Primary and Holy Family Catholic Primary.
Falling numbers due to declining birth rates mean less money for schools as their funding depends on the number of pupils they attract.
The review comes just a month after the government awarded Southampton Local Education Authority £2.9m to rebuild the 340-pupil Newlands Primary School in Ullswater Road, Millbrook and £2.9m to revamp the 191-pupil Redbridge Primary School.
Southampton City Council's head of education, support and planning, Andrew Hind, said: "It's very important that we get it right in that we move the surplus places across the area and get on with building those two schools."
He added: "We have an opportunity to improve primary school provision in the Redbridge and Millbrook area including rebuilding two of the schools and we want to ensure that we have in place schools that help to raise standards of achievement for all children."
Education bosses are considering building Redbridge Primary on alternative sites, such as land on nearby Studland Road, because they say the present site, next to the busy A33 Redbridge Road is 'poor'.
Members of Southampton City Council's Lifelong, Learning and Training Scrutiny Panel will today discuss the proposals and make its recommendations to Cabinet member Councillor Calvin Horner.
He will announce the final proposals for public consultation on February 21.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article