A total of 1,600 extra primary school places have been created in Nottingham by the City Council since 2009 – and a further 380 places are being made available for the next academic year.
The Council has invested £33.2 million to make schools bigger and better, so they can take in more pupils.
Work has been ongoing to increase capacity at schools across the City, with some of the work already finished. The vast majority have already admitted extra children so their numbers have expanded ahead of the building work.
Nearly £1 million has been spent on creating a new primary school at Djanogly Northgate Academy on Sherwood Rise that will increase pupil places for years to come. Pupils in Reception and Year 1 have already taken their seats at the new site in Sherwood Rise as the school has doubled from 420 places to 840 places across two sites in Basford and Sherwood Rise.
Work to expand Rufford Primary School in Bulwell is expected to be completed at the beginning of February 2015, creating places for an extra 210 children overall.
Rosslyn Park Primary in Aspley will have space for another 180 children when work is fully completed, which is expected to be in the Autumn term. The school is already admitting extra children for Key Stage 1 level.
Heathfield Primary School in Basford will become a split site primary school creating an additional 420 places by the autumn. The school has already been admitting extra children for the last two academic years in anticipation of the expansion.
Other work to expand primary school places includes:
- Ambleside Academy in Bilborough – 105 extra places
- Scotholme Primary in Forest Fields – 105 extra places
- Robert Shaw Primary in Bilborough – 70 extra places
- Forest Fields Primary in Forest Fields – 210 extra places
- Dunkirk Primary in Lenton – 210 extra places
- Welbeck Primary in The Meadows – 105 extra places
- Riverside Primary in The Meadows – 192 extra places
Further areas of the City will benefit from the school expansion programme. In 2016, new places for children will be created at schools in Bilborough, Sneinton, Radford, Aspley and Clifton.
Councillor Sam Webster, Executive Assistant for Schools at Nottingham City Council, said: “The City Council has taken bold and decisive action to ensure that there are enough primary school places to meet with the current and future demand.
“The Council’s expansion strategy will ensure that every child and young person has access to the very best facilities in order to help them to succeed and reach their full potential.
“The speed of housing development and growth in the number of children living in Nottingham means we must be able to move quickly on our priorities. We must ensure that all children have the opportunity to access high quality teaching and learning. Residents in Nottingham want good schools, with places available, close to home.
“This is an exciting major investment into schools in Nottingham and will help to benefit thousands of children.”