Oxford News
Oxford special primary school to get major investment
Expansion of Blackbird Leys’ Mabel Prichard Special School in Cuddesdon Way will be achieved by remodelling and refurbishing the recently vacated foundation stage accommodation at Orchard Meadow Primary School, on the same site.
The project will deliver three new classrooms, pupil toilets, a group room and ancillary accommodation.
Plans also include the creation of an improved entrance, office space, staff room and supporting accommodation.
It will also provide additional car parking and enhanced highway access to the school.
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A full business case is due to be submitted for approval by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet in August 2026, with an estimated total capital budget exceeding £2m.
Mabel Prichard Special School is managed by the Gallery Trust, which will deliver this project using funding provided by the county council.
Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children, education and young people’s services, said: “We’re determined to continue investing in services for Oxfordshire’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children and this commitment is reflected in these exciting plans for Mabel Prichard Special School.
“This will be a partnership approach, working with families, the academy trust, and communities to make a difference to the way children and young people get the support they deserve to help them thrive.”
Pupils and staff at Grove Church of England Primary School are set to benefit from a £9.4 million investment in new buildings and improvements, too.
Grove CE Primary School is an academy managed by Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, who are delivering this project using funding provided by the county council.
A major building project will expand the school’s capacity from 210 to 315 primary pupil places, plus 39 new nursery places.
The budget for this project was approved in an outline business case in June 2025, with the full business case scheduled for consideration within a few months’ time.
The project will be managed by the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, which is responsible for the school, working in partnership with the county council and David Wilson Homes, who is delivering a new housing development in the north of Grove.
Faringdon Community College will also get a new building with seven classrooms, a hall, kitchen, main reception area and staff accommodation.
The existing building will be remodelled to create accommodation for nursery and reception aged pupils.
David Wilson Homes will provide the council with additional land to facilitate this school expansion.
On the additional land will be a full-sized all-weather sports pitch, and a new main entrance into the school site with parking for staff and visitors.
Work on the new building is due to start in February 2027.
Cambrian Learning Trust is delivering the project using funding provided by the county council.
Oxford Spires Academy, a state secondary school in Glanville Road, East Oxford, was partially closed to some students this afternoon, Friday, July 3.
A notice on the Oxfordshire County Council unplanned school closure’s website said the school was closed for year nine and year ten pupils, with lessons moved online.
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It remained open throughout the day for years seven, eight and 12 and is currently planned to reopen as normal on Monday, July 6.
The secondary school is part of the Anthem Schools Trust, which runs 15 primary and secondary schools across the East Midlands, London and the Thames Valley.
The Trust confirmed the school was partially closed due to industrial action involving teachers and staff, taken against the trust over ‘redundancy, restructuring and unagreed management practices’.
George Buchanan, head of economics and business at Cheney School, said in a post on Facebook that some of the Oxford Spires Academy joined a picket line strike this morning.
He said: “Teachers and support staff comrades at Oxford Spires Academy [were] on the picket line this morning.
READ MORE: Strike action forced Oxford school into partial closure
“This is the first strike day against redundancy, restructure and unagreed practices of Anthem Schools Trust. Victory to the National Education Union.”
A spokesperson from Anthem Schools Trust, made on behalf of Oxford Spires, said: “We were very disappointed that members of the National Education Union took part in industrial action at Oxford Spires Academy on Friday, July 3.
“However, the academy remained partially open as we worked to minimise disruption for students and their families.”
They added: “We remain committed to constructive and collaborative working with the National Education Union and other trade unions.”
Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament urging that Kane be made Sir Harry Kane.
The striker became England’s all‑time leading World Cup scorer when he headed his 11th tournament goal against Panama on Saturday, June 27, breaking Gary Lineker’s long‑standing record of 10 goals set in 1990.
He then scored two late, match‑saving goals against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, July 1, rescuing England’s campaign and sending them into the Round of 16 to face Mexico on Monday, July 6.
Ms Moran says Kane has shown “inspirational leadership on and off the pitch” and deserves formal recognition. So far, she is the only MP to have signed the motion.
The teachers, staff and supporters of the National Education Union set up a picket line outside Oxford Spires Academy in Glanville Road today, Friday, July 3, which forced the school to close to some year groups.
It comes amid an ongoing dispute with Anthem Schools Trust, which runs Oxford Spires, over ‘restructuring, redundancies and unagreed management practices’, which the union said has left staff at the school feeling they don’t have ‘autonomy or a voice concerning working practices’.
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Staff and union representatives raised concerns over the centralisation of services to the parent Anthem Academy Trust, ‘the absence of agreed employment practices’ and a ‘lack of transparency over budget allocation and spending’.
The union said promised regular consultation meetings have not taken place and that there are concerns over a lack of commitment from the Trust not to commence any further significant restructuring or redundancies at Oxford Spires Academy.
Stuart Robertson, union joint branch secretary for Oxfordshire, said: “Union members at Oxford Spires Academy have no option but to take this industrial action, due to outstanding matters of concern that will have a real impact on them and in turn frontline services.
“We regret the inconvenience caused by strikes and hope that ongoing negotiations will lead to a speedy resolution of this avoidable dispute.”
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A picket line was set up at the school during the strike today with further days of action planned for Wednesday, July 8 and Thursday, July 9, and next month on September 9, 10 and 11, with pickets from 7.30am to 9.30am ‘as a minimum’.
Members voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action on a turnout of 65 per cent.
The union concedes that recent negotiations resulted in the Trust’s CEO agreeing to a road map for drafting, consulting and agreeing new policies and assurances have been given that the CFO will provide an overview of the Trust’s financial position.
But union members are requesting a fully transparent, independent review of funding and spending due to ‘disproportionately high senior management pay rises.
The union said it remains open to coming to a negotiated settlement and will hold an open online meeting to discuss the dispute with parents if it continues.
A spokesperson for Anthem Schools Trust said: “We were very disappointed that members of the National Education Union took part in industrial action at Oxford Spires Academy on Friday, July 3.
“However, the academy remained partially open as we worked to minimise disruption for students and their families.
“The industrial action relates to the restructure of non-educational services within the trust and its academies.
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“We recognise that this represents a significant organisational change and acknowledge the concerns raised at Oxford Spires regarding local autonomy and operational effectiveness.
“We remain committed to constructive and collaborative working with the National Education Union and other trade unions.
“Our door remains open to union representatives and we are keen to continue discussions in the hope of resolving these concerns.”
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