Expansion plans drawn for schools
MULTI-MILLION-POUND projects have been put forward to expand two schools in Nottinghamshire due to increasing demand for pupil places.
One of the schools where work could take place is the Carlton le Willows Academy in Gedling.
The county council’s policy committee received a report on proposals for the expansion of the building from eight forms of entry to 12 and gave approval to provide funding to the academy of £546,700 for pre-construction works.
Plans have also been approved for further funding to a maximum of £10,375,940 for the project.
The project provides for an additional 28 classrooms on site, plus additional supporting accommodation and facilities, and the additional pupil places will meet an anticipated shortfall of places in the Carlton secondary planning area.
The original programme was to start on site in February with the scheme completed to take enhanced numbers in September next year.
However, the pandemic and planning process have caused delays to the project, but the need still remains to provide the places for 2022.
The academy believes that it can provide one further form of entry for 2022 in its existing buildings, with the additional required forms delivered for them following year.
Due to additional factors that would increase costs, the total price of the scheme was raised from £10,375,940 to £13,984,719 and the council is requested to increase available funding through the Grant Funding Agreement to enable the scheme to proceed.
The increase in school places will ensure that sufficient secondary school places are available in this area.
Another school which could go through a complete revamp to enable higher number of pupils to attend is South Nottinghamshire Academy.
The £2m plan to expand the school will look at growing from a four-form entry setting with a published admission number of 120, to a five-form entry school of 150 pupils.
The school will be able to admit an additional 30 children at primary to secondary transfer each September.
When the project is completed the school will have capacity for another 150 students.
This proposed scheme will include a 10-classroom extension and the reconfiguration of existing buildings, some of which were classrooms previously.
The 10 new classrooms include some replacements of those that have been reconfigured and will be used as specialist areas.
The trust has submitted a full planning application for the scheme.
It has also issued a consultation notice to parents and nearby schools, the closing date for which is September 10.
Ther move comes after the policy committee received a report outlining increasing pressure for pupil places in the Rushcliffe East secondary planning area.
The report reads that this is a result of significant housing developments in the area.
The Children and Young People’s Committee will look at both proposals on September 13.