Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
A class act
TWO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BOROUGH TO BE REVAMPED AS PART OF £260 MILLION PLAN TO CREATE MORE PLACES
TWO schools in Hillingdon will undergo a revamp to create hundreds of extra places for secondary-age pupils.
Vyners School, in Ickenham, will offer an extra 300 secondary school places and the expansion of Ruislip High School will create 174 additional places, after Hillingdon Council approved building works.
The expansion is part of the council’s £260 million primary and secondary school building programme, which it says is one of the largest in London, to meet demand for school places as the local population continues to grow.
The existing sports hall at Vyners School will be extended to create a new two-storey teaching block of 12 classrooms to increase the number of pupils attending from 1,151 to 1,451.
During the works, a new dining room, library, special educational needs suite, replacement sports hall storage, administration facilities and a new main school entrance will be built.
The existing multi-use games area will be replaced and an all weather pitch will be constructed on a section of the school playing field.
It is expected to be fully completed for the start of the new academic year in September 2019, according to Hillingdon Council.
Councillor David Simmonds, Hillingdon Council’s cabinet member for edu- cation and children’s services, said: “Following our extensive primary school expansion programme, the council also recognises the need to ensure every child is offered a secondary school place as close to their home as possible.
“Our secondary school expansion programme will continue to create new places and high quality facilities so our young people can receive the best education.”
The council’s investment into Ruislip High School includes a three-storey extension which will provide a main school hall, sixth form centre, eight classrooms, media room, art studio with outside decking and facilities for pupils with physical disabilities.
The existing school building will be remodelled to provide a new activity studio and science laboratory and a covered external recreation courtyard area will also be created, which will include new trees and seating.
Work on the Ruislip High School site is also expected to be fully completed by September 2019.
The expansion plans were announced as it was revealed that every child in the borough was given a secondary school place, according to school admissions results issued on Thursday March 1.
In Hillingdon, 95.1% of pupils received one of their preferred secondary school choices, with 88% of applicants receiving one of their top three schools, during a record high year of 3,441 applications.
Our secondary school expansion programme will continue to create new places and high quality facilities
Cllr David Simmonds