A primary school relocated after 141 years to make way for HS2 is set to cut its capacity by a third having seen “many families move away”.

Warwickshire County Council is about to begin a consultation on reducing the number of pupils admitted per year group at Water Orton Primary School, Plank Lane, Water Orton, from 45 to 30 from September 2027.

The council decided back in April 2015 that the school would be moved – at HS2’s expense – due to its proximity to the new high-speed rail line that has impacted many rural parts of Warwickshire.

A report advocating the reduced numbers says “the biggest hit” to Water Orton and the other five primary schools in the Coleshill planning area has been the ripple effect of HS2.

Water Orton Primary School (image: Google)

placeholder image — Water Orton Primary School (image: Google)

Authored by county council officer Nikki Daly, it continues: “The works have had a significant negative impact on the village and the school has seen many families move away.

“Traffic measures in the area have also impacted the ability of families from further afield accessing schools within the planning area which usually imports a good number of out-of-county applicants.”

The school currently operates with one-and-a-half form of entry, meaning it takes in up to one-and-a-half classes per year.

That results in mixed-age teaching and the school and council hope that coming down to one complete class per year group will enable the school to split classes by age “and better support the increasing level of need that the school is seeing”. It is also expected to aid financial viability.

No physical works are proposed, meaning the building will retain capacity to increase admissions again in the future if demand allows.

Councils must hold a public consultation before making such changes with views to be gathered on this and other tweaks over a six-week period, a process that is due to be triggered by portfolio holder for education Councillor Wayne Briggs (Reform UK, Arbury) on Friday.

The report does not detail when the consultation will start but the feedback and subsequent decision are set to be considered by the cabinet – the panel of Reform UK councillors in charge of major service areas – “in 2026”.