The construction of the new building on the school site falls outside the scope of this consultation.
The works taking place constitute permitted development as set out by Class M, Part 7, Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015. This means that planning permission from the Council is not required. It was verified by Guildford Borough Council during a site visit that the works being undertaken are fully compliant with this legislation and no issues were identified. 
We understand that changes to the school site can prompt questions and we remain committed to communicating openly with our community about developments that affect the school and fulfilling all relevant requirements. 

We recognise that parking and traffic around the school can be very busy at peak times and we appreciate the concerns raised.
Expressions of interest for the proposed pre-school suggest that many children would be siblings of pupils who already attend the school at the time of their admission to the pre-school. This means that there will be a limited number of additional journeys to the school. The pre-school’s main session operating times have been deliberately designed to fall after peak traffic. 
We will continue to work closely with our parent community to promote safe and considerate parking and to encourage as many families as possible to walk, cycle or travel to school without using a car wherever this is feasible. 

There will be no reduction in play space. We recognise the vital importance of play in supporting children’s wellbeing, development and enjoyment of school life.
We are currently undertaking a project to enhance play provision, including opening up previously unused outdoor areas. This will increase the space available to children at playtimes.
The area currently under construction has not been suitable, or used by children, for play in recent years.

Responses to Phase 1 of the consultation indicated clear interest from parents in pre-school provision at the school.
In addition, the government has made a strong commitment to raising the quality of early years education across England, with school-based nurseries playing a central role in that vision. As there are no school-based nurseries attached to a state-funded primary school in the local area, The Raleigh is well placed to offer this provision. Research consistently shows that high-quality early education supports language development, builds social and emotional skills and lays firm foundations for future learning.
A pre-school at The Raleigh would allow children to begin their school journey in a familiar and nurturing environment. They would build relationships with staff, develop confidence, and become comfortable with the routines of school life. By the time they move into Reception, the transition would feel natural and secure for both children and parents.

We value the role that local nurseries play within our community and recognise that families have choices. The intention of the proposed pre-school is not to replace existing provision but to offer an additional option for families who would prefer a school-based setting. 
For many parents, having early years provision and primary education on one site provides continuity, convenience and a smoother transition into Reception. We believe it is positive for families to have a range of high-quality options available locally.

The addition of a pre-school is not expected to create a significant increase in noise. The pre-school would operate during the same hours as the main school and would run during term time only.
As with all areas of school life, we remain mindful of our neighbours and committed to being a considerate member of the local community.

The previous nursery space was built a number of years ago and is no longer suitable for delivering high-quality early years provision.
The proposed pre-school would be located in a different, purpose-designed space that better meets the needs of young children and supports the high standards we expect for all our pupils.

We have carefully considered leadership capacity as part of this proposal. The leadership structure would be developed to ensure there is no adverse impact on the quality of education provided across the school.
All staff share an unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child receives the best possible education during their time with us. That commitment would remain central to our work and the addition of a pre-school would be planned and resourced accordingly.

The needs and outcomes of the children already attending the school will always remain our priority. The proposal has been developed with careful consideration to ensure that existing pupils’ education, resources and opportunities would not be diminished.
We believe that a well-planned pre-school would in fact strengthen the whole school community, supporting smoother transitions and fostering a shared sense of belonging from the earliest years onward.

As part of the construction works, drainage on the site has been reviewed and improved. This forms part of the wider effort to ensure that the facilities are safe, sustainable and fit for purpose.
All rainwater from the new building and external play area will be directed into a large underground attenuation tank. This tank is connected to the surface water drainage system in Northcote Crescent and the flow rate leaving the school site will be restricted so as not to overload the existing pipework.