Extra school places created to deal with demand

Almost £1.4m is to be spent creating an extra 75 places at two primary schools in Wolverhampton.

More than £1.2m will be spent building two new classrooms at Northwood Park Primary School in Bushbury for an extra 60 pupils.

A further £140,000 will be spent remodelling Dovecotes Primary School in Pendeford to provide 15 places for pupils.

There has been a "significant" increase in demand for in-year primary school places and it was "not abating", according to a report outlining the decision taken by the council's cabinet member for children, young people and education councillor Jacqui Coogan.

A combination of factors were behind the rise, according to the council report, which included migration, regeneration and housing, and the popularity and Ofsted ratings of Wolverhampton schools.

The funding would help with the demand for places in the north of the city including Oxley, Bushbury, Low Hill and Fallings Park, the council said.

Historically each year group would grow by about 300 pupils – or 10 classes – from the start to the end of primary school, according to the council.

But the level of growth was already exceeding the average, the report said.

Pupils starting secondary school in Wolverhampton next year have seen their year groups grow by more than 330 pupils from starting primary school in 2018.

The city's year five cohort has already grown by nearly 360 pupils according to the same figures.

The current year two cohort has grown by nearly nine classes in three years and the city's year one cohort has already increased by nearly six class sizes in two years.

"The impact of this level of growth has made it increasingly difficult to allocate a school that is a parental preference," the report stated.

"This can result in increased appeals, families having to travel a further distance and schools having to exceed admission limits without extra accommodation or resources.

"In addition to this there is a real risk regarding sufficiency and ensuring that there are enough good quality school places in the local area."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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