Seven Salford primary schools are set to be expanded to create an extra 959 places, in time for either September this year or September 2017.
"There has been a significant rise in population across the city which has led to increased demand for primary school places" states a Salford City Council report "The proposed enlargements are required to ensure that the Local Authority can meet its statutory duty for providing sufficient school places.
"It is expected that the increase in the schools planned admission number (PAN) and the additional accommodation/facilities that will be provided to accommodate the additional pupils, will provide more opportunity to pupils to achieve their full potential and ensure diversity is promoted" it adds.
The four week consultation on the actual plans for the expanded buildings actually ends this Thursday 7th July, and the report notes that "no comments/objections have been received". It adds that, while School Premises Regulations require schools to "provide suitable outdoor space in order to enable physical education to be provided to pupils in accordance with the school curriculum; and for pupils to play outside safely...these are not statutory"...
Salford Council shut lots of primary schools before it found itself in the current crisis, including Langworthy Road, Tootal Drive, Seedley, Charlestown and North Grecian Street, at the behest of `efficiency' consultants Capita Symonds and Capita Children's Services (see previous Salford Star article click here). Now the Council is having to find extra money from the Government and its own coffers to fund the expansion.
The Salford Star reported in February on plans for a £14.5million expansion programme, with 4,500 new places needed by 2018/19, because of "migration and pupil yield from new housing". At the time, only £17,000 had been raised by a new `kiddie tax' on developers (see previous Salford Star article click here).
The February report suggested that Charlestown Primary School might be re-opened but there's no mention of this in the current schedule. Instead, the primary school expansion has been narrowed down to seven schools. The full details are...
Brentnall Community Primary School, Higher Broughton - Expansion of 210 places by building an extension to the school in the `forest' where Hanover Court once stood on Northumberland Street, recently earmarked for houses. This won't be ready until 2017, and in the meantime pupils will use `on-site leased modular class bases'.
Godfrey Ermen Memorial Church of England Primary School, Eccles Expansion of current school building to create 105 new places by September this year.
Lark Hill Community Primary School, Pendleton Expansion of current school building to create 210 new places by September this year.
St Paul's Church of England (Heathside) Primary School, Walkden - Expansion of current school building to create 210 new places by September this year.
The Friars Community Primary School, Blackfriars - Expansion of current school building to create 210 new places by September this year.
River View Community Primary School, Lower Broughton - The creation of an Enhanced Resource Facility for eight pupils with Autistic Spectrum Conditions within the former Children's Centre.
Summerville Community Primary School, Duchy - The creation of an Enhanced Resource Facility for six pupils children with Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs within the former Children's Centre.
The plans are set to be ratified by Salford Council's Cabinet next week
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
