A primary school in Caversham has won permission to expand to teach more children following a successful appeal to the government.
A Caversham primary school has won permission to expand after a successful appeal to the government.
The Heights Primary School, founded as a free school in 2014, began in temporary buildings at Westfield Road Park before controversially moving to the Mapledurham Playing Fields in summer 2021. Neighbours had objected to a sports pitch over noise and light pollution.
When the project was approved in 2018 the school’s capacity was capped at 350 pupils. The Heights applied last year to increase that to 420, but Reading Borough Council refused the plan in December.
The school appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and last month inspector Emma Worley ruled the expansion complied with council development policies, allowing the appeal. The permission increases pupil numbers only — no new building work is included in the approved plans.
Hayley Harrison, the headteacher, said: “I am proud to be the Headteacher of a sought after school, and I am delighted that our excellent provision will be able to be accessed by more children.
“The Planning Inspectorate visited us, and recognised that increasing our provision of 10 children per year group would greatly benefit our local families and give them the choice of education they have the right to.
“We are committed to working with local residents to minimise any potential consequences they feel this increase may cause.
“We have been given the Eco School Flag award and we received the Modeshift Gold Award for sustainable travel to and from school, and will continue to work with our families to minimise all impacts.”
Mark Greatex, chief executive of the Bellevue Place Education Trust added: “The Heights is a wonderful school, purpose-built and publicly funded to accommodate 420 pupils.
“We are delighted that this very successful school will be used to its full potential by accommodating 420 pupils, serving the Caversham Heights area.”
Celebrating the news, councillor Isobel Ballsdon (Conservative, Caversham Heights) said: “At last, common sense has prevailed. The Heights has rightly won its appeal to increase pupil numbers to the standard 30 per class.
“Planning permission should never have been refused in the first place. All four primary schools in west Caversham were oversubscribed for Reception admissions in both 2023/24 and 2024/25, and the refusal resulted in the loss of 2.5 teaching posts at the school.
“Primary school places should be allocated according to where parents want their children to go – not where it best suits bureaucracy.
“I entered politics because I saw first-hand the impact that the shortage of primary places in west Caversham had on families like mine.
“I therefore welcome the Inspector’s decision, and I know it will help more Caversham Heights families secure a place at this outstanding school.”
The appeal was noted at the council’s planning applications committee meeting on 3 December.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
