TWO PRIMARY schools are set to cut the number of pupils they admit.
Buckton Vale in Carrbrook wants a reduction of a third, from 45 to 30 from next year, making an adjustment for this year permanent.
While Holden Clough in Ashton wants to go further, dropping from 60 to 30 after a sustained period of falling numbers.
However, a new 10-place centre for children with cognition and learning and/or communication and interaction and/or social, emotional and mental health needs, could be created at Denton’s Corrie Primary.

And in response to questions by Tameside Council Leader Cllr Brenda Warrington, any fears that the move may effect children were eased.
A report states: “Holden Clough Primary School have a published admission number of 60 but have had significantly lower numbers over recent years, which have affected their future budget projections.
“Infant class size legislation means that Key Stage 1 classes must have one teacher for every 30 pupils.
“Holden Clough is now in the position of having a Published Admission Number of 60 but are attracting significantly less into the school with little prospect of this increasing in the next few years due to falling birth rates in the area.
“In order to comply with infant class size legislation, the school is required to have a teacher for every 30 Key Stage 1 pupils.
“Across KS1 currently, the school has 142 pupils across six classes necessitating at least six teachers with significantly less funding than 180 pupils would bring.”
Councillor Leanne Feeley told a meeting of Tameside Council’s executive cabinet: “There are a number of challenges which need to be considered.

“Reducing numbers as a result of a lower birth rate will impact on the process going forward.
Also in the future, significant housing developments will need to be considered.
“This is a dynamic process. It needs to be creative and flexible in addressing all these challenges.”
Cllr Warrington, however, said: “We don’t often have a situation where a number of schools are looking to make what seems to me a significant reduction to the admissions they’re requesting.
“Am I right in thinking that if they reduce their numbers that then impacts on the number of staff they need?”
After it was pointed out that schools getting just over 30 pupils would need two teachers, meaning extra staffing costs, Cllr Warrington then asked if reductions may mean kids must go to a school further away from home.
However, it was revealed the number of ‘first preferences’ – children being allocated a spot at their preferred school – for both Buckton Vale and Holden Clough are below 30.
And there was a slight drop in the birth rate in 2021 compared to 2020, affecting plans for admissions in the year 2024 – it also mirrors the situation of 25 years ago.
After several groups, including the heads and governors of all Tameside maintained schools, parents, neighbouring local authorities and several church dioceses, were approached for consultation, the application was approved.
And a consultation is ongoing until March 3 about the proposed new facility at Corrie.
If it goes ahead, a resource base to enable up to 10 pupils with cognition and learning and/or communication and interaction and/or social, emotional and mental health needs to be supported will be created for September.
A report adds: “A specialist resource base provides places for children with special educational needs and disabilities who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) within a mainstream school.
“Children are taught in smaller groups with additional staff within the resource base, but also have access to mainstream classes and wider school life as their individual needs allow.
“This important new provision will both support Tameside Council to ensure there are the necessary specialist places across the borough to meet need and demand and also increase opportunities for younger children to gain early access to the specialist support and interventions they need.
“Targeted provision is provision that is more specialist than mainstream schools, providing a higher level of support for children and young people with SEND, but not a special school.
“A number of schools came forward to be part of this exciting new provision and host resource bases and Corrie was one of those schools.
“Corrie has dedicated space for the resource base and over the summer of 2021, internal and external works were carried out to make the space fit for purpose.
“At Corrie, the school aims to provide a broad and stimulating learning experience which caters for the needs of all children through an exciting and balanced curriculum.
“The school knows it is important to provide all children with the necessary skills which will enable them to become lifelong learners.
“Corrie aims to create an ethos of high expectation, aspiration and teamwork.”