Moorlands Learning Trust (MLT) is opening a consultation to seek your views on a proposed increase to Ilkley Grammar School’s PAN and overall capacity. As the school’s official PAN is currently lower than the actual numbers of students on site, this consultation
seeks your views on incorporating a formal expansion of the number of places so that the PAN in years 7-11 reflects actual figures, as well as building in additional capacity at Post-16. The proposed changes to the school’s PAN would take effect for admissions
from September 2023.
Ilkley Grammar School is consistently over-subscribed, with numbers at both pre and post 16 having grown considerably year on year for the past few years. The school already operates above its existing PAN of 300 in all but one year group (which is currently
at PAN) and operates well-above the PAN of 460 at Post-16. For example, the current year 9 moving into year 10 is 326 and post-16 numbers already exceed over 500 students despite the fact that the larger pre-16 year groups have not yet finished year 11.
Therefore, MLT and IGS expect that the numbers of students in years 7-11 will continue to be at around 320 and an increase in the Published Admissions Number at pre-16 would reflect the reality of actual student numbers rather than represent an increase.
As the larger pre-16 year groups of 300+ reach year 11 from 2022-23, when the previous PAN expansion to 300 which began in 2018-19 works its way through the lower school, this growth will also continue to significantly impact at Post -16.
In order for IGS to be able to ensure that all of its students and additional students who live within its catchment area who meet the post-16 entry criteria can be offered a place, the post-16 PAN also needs to be increased.
The school is therefore proposing to:
- increase the official PAN in Years 7-11 from 300 to 320. This would be formally implemented for Year 7 admissions from 2023
- increase the official maximum size of Post-16 from 460 to 660 places in order to accommodate all of the students who are already part of the larger pre-16 year groups
As a result of the above, it is proposed that the overall capacity of the school which is currently stated in the school’s funding agreement as 1972 (despite current actual numbers in September being in excess of 2100) is expanded to
2260.
Please note that there are no proposed changes to our current Admissions Policy in any year and all other entry criteria remain unchanged.
This consultation is therefore to gain your views and comments on this proposed expansion.
The consultation will run for 4 weeks from Friday 19th August 2022, closing at 8am on Friday 16th September 2022. We will also be holding a stakeholder engagement event on Monday 12th September at Ilkley Grammar School between
5.30pm to 7pm, where members of the public can share their views in person and ask any questions they may have regarding the proposal. Please note, that this event will not be able to provide specific details of the school’s future rebuilding works.
If you would like to attend this event, please email
consultation@ilkleygs.co.uk with the subject title ‘IGS Expansion Consultation’.
Moorlands Learning Trust will consider all points raised in this consultation before a decision will be made to proceed with the next steps for expansion or not, as part of the statutory process which is required before alterations of these kind can be made
to academies. N.B. The Trust does not make the final decision to expand the provision - this is made by the Regional Director for Academies in our area.
Any comments or suggestions can also be made to the following e mail address:
consultation@ilkleygs.co.uk If you wish to send a response by post, please send it to Ilkley Grammar School directly.