EDUCATION bosses are calling for changes to a York catchment area so that children living in a planned village can go to schools able to cope with the extra pupils.

A City of York Council report says that the 540-home Derwenthorpe development at Osbaldwick, proposed by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which is awaiting planning permission, could generate 70 to 80 secondary age pupils and up to 140 primary age children.

It says the site earmarked for Derwenthorpe lies in the catchment area for Archbishop Holgate's CE Secondary School, but this has few places available for extra pupils.

However, the site also borders on to the catchment area of Burnholme Community College, which has about 160 spare places available.

The report, by council officer Jake Wood, states: "It would, therefore, seem appropriate to revise the catchment areas so that children from the development are directed to Burnholme College."

At the same time, Derwenthorpe lies in the catchment area for Osbaldwick Primary School where, although there are some surplus places in existing classrooms, there is little opportunity for development to cater for additional numbers.

The report, to a meeting on Tuesday of the executive member for education and advisory panel, says that the new village is geographically close to Derwent Infant and Junior Schools, where there is the potential to increase capacity to accommodate additional children.

This could be done through internal reorganisation and additional development, if necessary.

Members are urged to change the catchment to Derwent, although the report says a small number of pupils could also go to St Aelred's RC Primary School, which should be able to accommodate the extra children.

The report says that Derwenthorpe is also likely to increase existing demand in the area for Early Years and childcare provision.

It says that under a planning agreement, the developer would make a contribution to help improve and extend capacity, as well as another contribution to meet the extra demand for primary education provision.

Updated: 11:09 Wednesday, October 06, 2004