Column by Yate and Thornbury MP Luke Hall

We need a new Secondary School in Lyde Green to ensure our local education provision keeps up with the rate of housing growth in South Gloucestershire and takes pressure off the surrounding school system.

That is why, I have been pushing for a new secondary school, with 420 primary places and 900 secondary places, so that children in Lyde Green, Yate, Frampton Cotterell, Coalpit Heath and the neighbouring villages can attend a new school near their homes.

We have already made great progress on this campaign;

Firstly, South Gloucestershire Council have begun their consultation on the design for the new Lyde Green School. The school facilities, including its sports pitches, will be available for community use outside of school hours. The new buildings will also be constructed to high environmental standards that seek to minimise carbon emissions.

Secondly, I have recently brought this campaign to the Secretary of State for Education’s attention to champion the need for this new school and to support South Gloucestershire Council’s bid to secure the necessary government funding.

Most recently, we were able to secure a Parliamentary debate on the same subject – with the Schools Minister Nick Gibb MP agreeing that there is “an increasing need for places for secondary school-age pupils in this part of South Gloucestershire”.

We are expecting any decisions from government later this term, and I will keep the Voice readers updated on any progress that we make.

Building this Lyde Green Secondary school is a key part of our Positive Plan for Schools and Family Life in South Gloucestershire. This is alongside ensuring that we get our fair share of school funding, building two new primary schools in Yate, redeveloping Castle School in Thornbury, building a new special school at Marlwood, improving special needs provision and ensuring the implementation of £79 million of repairs and upgrades for South Gloucestershire schools.

To find out more about our Positive Plan for Schools and Family Life, or if there is anything else that I can be of assistance with, please do not hesitate to drop me an email at luke.hall.mp@parliament.uk.