Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, agreed to launch a consultation regarding the expansion of The Avon Valley School and Performing Arts College. The consultation, which will run from 13 October to 14 November 2025, is required due to an urgent need for more Year 7 places and specialist resourced provision in the area. The decision was made under the council's urgency procedure to ensure that capital works can be completed by Autumn 2027, if approved.

Expansion of The Avon Valley School and Performing Arts College

Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, approved the commencement of a consultation regarding the expansion of The Avon Valley School and Performing Arts College. The expansion would increase the school's capacity by 300 places and establish resourced provision¹ for students with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs).

Reasons for the decision

• Urgency: The expansion is needed to address a shortfall in Year 7 places and a growing need for special educational needs (SEN) resourced provision.
• Capacity: Rugby North is forecasting a shortage of approximately 30 Year 7 places per year, which is expected to continue due to ongoing housing development.
• Accessibility: The Avon Valley School is the only school in the north of Rugby, and the expansion aims to improve accessibility for pupils in the area, reducing the need for them to travel across town.
• Strategic Alignment: The inclusion of resourced provision aligns with the council's Delivering Better Value programme and the SEND and Inclusion Strategy, which prioritises increasing specialist resourced provision places across the county.
• Statutory Requirements: The decision to consult is in line with the Department for Education's statutory guidance, 'Making Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools'², which requires a consultation period of at least four weeks for proposals to establish, remove, or alter SEN provision, or to enlarge the capacity of school premises.

Previous Consultation

A similar consultation for the same scheme was approved on 13 June 2025, and took place between 23 June and 20 July 2025. However, the proposal was withdrawn because officers required further information to support a recommendation to the cabinet.

Financial Implications

There are no additional costs to the local authority to undertake the consultation. However, if the expansion proceeds, capital costs will be incurred to provide additional teaching and ancillary space. The capital project would be funded through developer contributions. Initial assessments suggest that the works would include a new extension and internal remodelling of the existing school building.

Environmental Implications

The council will aim to minimise the environmental impact of any capital works by:

• Utilising the existing structure to minimise the use of new materials.
• Limiting the embodied carbon generated by the structural works through efficient use of materials.
• Considering sustainable materials and recycled components.
• Utilising thermal mass to reduce operational carbon emissions.

The expansion of mainstream places near areas of growth is also expected to reduce journey times for students, encourage active travel, and limit the need to access places in neighbouring areas, which increases transport requirements.

Urgency Procedure

The decision was made under the council's urgency procedure because any delay caused by call-in³ would impact the ability to complete the capital works by Autumn 2027, which would prejudice the public interest in ensuring sufficient school provision. Councillor Yousef Dahmash, Chair of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, consented to the urgent decision on 9 October 2025.