Formal consultation on capacity expansion from 750 to 900 students.
Introduction
This document initiates a formal consultation regarding the proposed rebuild and expansion of Castle Manor Academy in Haverhill. The purpose of this consultation is to inform local stakeholders, parents, and relevant authorities of a proposed increase in the capacity of the new school building, and to invite feedback on the proposal. This aims to accommodate future needs in line with Local Authority pupil forecasts and ensure the Academy remains fit for purpose in the coming years.
Background
Castle Manor Academy currently accommodates up to 750 students. In response to anticipated demographic changes and to future-proof the school, it is proposed to increase the building’s overall capacity to 900 students. This expansion is designed to support the local community and maintain high educational standards.
Details of Proposed Capacity Change
The proposed building capacity change involves expanding the school’s infrastructure to support up to 900 students, representing a potential increase of 150 places. This initiative is informed by recent Local Authority pupil forecasts, which highlight a sustained rise in demand for school places across the Haverhill area in future years. It is also pertinent to note the closure of the Park Road middle school site some years ago, when pupils transferred to Castle Manor Academy. At that time, the school absorbed the additional students with minimal alterations to the existing facilities, which placed pressure on resources and space. The current expansion proposal aims to ensure that the Academy is properly equipped to meet future demand, maintaining both accessibility and the quality of education for all students.
Building Specifications
The expansion will include the provision of specialist classrooms, designed to support a broad and balanced curriculum. All building works will adhere strictly to the Department for Education (DfE) standards and regulations, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and best practice in educational provision. Specialist facilities will be constructed to accommodate modern teaching methods and the diverse needs of students.
Alignment with Local Authority Forecasts
The proposal is informed by robust pupil projections provided by the Local Authority. Increasing the school building’s capacity will future-proof Castle Manor Academy, enabling it to respond effectively to anticipated future increases in student numbers. This approach supports the long-term sustainability of the school and the wider educational landscape in Haverhill.
Published Admission Number (PAN)
It is important to note that we are not proposing a change at this point to the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN), which will remain unchanged at 150 students per year group. The PAN determines the maximum number of students admitted to each year group and is distinctly different from the capacity of the school. The increase in capacity is intended solely to accommodate future growth and ensure adequate provision for all students.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
The proposed works and operational changes will be carried out in accordance with all relevant Department for Education’s standards and regulations. The school will ensure full legal compliance throughout the expansion process, including adherence to health and safety, accessibility, and safeguarding requirements. All statutory obligations will be met to guarantee a safe and supportive environment for students and staff.
Consultation Process
Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on this proposal during the consultation period. Comments, suggestions, and challenges may be submitted via the following channels:
- Email: consultation@castlemanor.org.uk.
- Post: Attn. CMA Consultation, Unity Schools Partnership, Homefield Road, Haverhill, CB9 8QP.
All responses must be submitted by Thursday 30th April 2026. Every submission will be carefully reviewed and considered prior to any final decision. If you wish to challenge any aspect of the proposal, please clearly state your grounds and supporting evidence in your submission. Following the consultation, a final statement will be confirmed to the Department for Education by 15/05/2026.
Conclusion
In summary, the proposed expansion of Castle Manor Academy’s buildings from 750 to accommodate up to 900 students aims to ensure the school remains responsive to meet future demand, without immediately altering the Published Admission Number. We encourage all stakeholders to participate in this consultation and share their views. The outcome of this process will inform the next steps and final decision regarding the capacity increase.
Castle Manor Academy has been praised for creating a caring community where staff do all they can to ensure students receive the highest quality education.
Under the new national guidelines, Ofsted inspectors judged Castle Manor Academy to have taken “effective action to maintain the standards” of their last inspection, when they received a ‘Good’ rating in June 2019.
Positive relationships between staff and students, a culture of trust and a new curriculum which prioritised literacy were among the highlights from last month’s inspection.
Headteacher Vanessa Whitcombe said: “There is much to celebrate in this inspection report and I am very proud of our school and its community.
“Our inspectors captured the heart of our school, the opportunities and experiences that we offer and how well students and staff work together.
“Our goal is to always strive for the best for our students and we will keep on working hard in collaboration with students and parents. We are really grateful for the support of our parents and community in everything we do.”
In the report, which was released this week, Ofsted inspectors paid tribute to student behaviour and the fact students were proud to reach 100% attendance – because they “value the importance of education”.
The school’s new curriculum was praised for producing fluent readers while students were also said to benefit from “highly effective” careers curriculum and a well-constructed personal, social, health and economic education programme.
Other notable highlights included Castle Manor Academy’s SEND provision, led by The Arch which provides specialist support with students participating in extracurricular activities including residential visits and work experiences.
The Ofsted inspectors stated: “From participation in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, The King’s Trust and life skills projects, pupils develop strong leadership skills. “The ‘Pupil Parliament’ is a forum through which pupils can express their views and have a positive impact on school life. Pupils feel proud to hold positions of responsibility that enable them to benefit others, including local and national charities.”
Students from Castle Manor Academy were given a hard-hitting anti-crime talk as part of an annual Keep Safe week.
Paul Hannaford visited the school to talk powerfully about his life as a former drug addict.
Vanessa Whitcombe, headteacher at Castle Manor Academy, said: “We were pleased to invite Paul Hannaford into the school to speak to students about his life.
“The Keep Safe week held last year was a huge success and given the importance of the topic, we decided to make this an annual event.
“At Castle Manor, we focused on understanding consent in different situations and looking at personal safety with resources and activities chosen to support age-appropriate learning.”
The visit was part of Unity Schools Partnership’s Keep Safe week which saw all schools in the trust encouraged to take part in events, online sessions and classroom activities around the theme ‘No, Means No’.
The week started with a meeting of the trust’s School Council, with two members from each school invited to join and work together with peers at Thomas Gainsborough School in Great Cornard.
We were delighted to recently welcome students from Notre Dame College in Haverhill’s twin town of Pont-Saint-Esprit.
The visit saw the students spend a morning sharing lessons with Year 10 students as part of a visit to Haverhill.
Vanessa Whitcombe, Headteacher at Castle Manor Academy, said: “We were delighted to welcome the students and give them an insight into our education system.
“For our students, it gave them a valuable opportunity to ask questions and integrate with students from another country.
“It was mutually beneficial and hopefully something we can do more of in the future.”
Click here to read a full report on the visit courtesy of the Haverhill Echo.