THREE Slough schools have been earmarked for expansion as part of a £20m plan to create new primary school places.
Claycots Primary, St Mary's CofE Primary and James Elliman Academy are all to have their sites expanded to create 840 new places.
Four additional reception classes have been provided for September 2015 and 2016 in temporary buildings, and now the primary schools will be expanded to house these pupils permanently.
Slough Borough Councillor Sabia Hussain, commissioner for health and social care, said: “Ensuring Slough children have access to good quality education is a priority for us and while Slough faces unprecedented pressure on school places we have always managed to ensure every child is given a school place – something we are very proud of.
“As the council is unable to build new schools, we can only provide new school places through expansion projects and these can only be delivered with support from our local schools who have always stepped up when needed. I would like to thank our primary schools for their help.”
An artist impression of what Claycots Primary would look like after expansion
Over the last year, the council in partnership with Slough Urban Renewal (SUR) has been working with the schools to ensure the redevelopment plans not only create new school places but also provide enhanced learning environments with improved teaching spaces, dining halls and libraries.
The building works started in July during the school holidays, and the £20m expansion aims to fit with the council's target to provide additional classrooms and address a shortage of school places, with the works set to be completed by the end of 2017.
Andy Howell, SUR general manager said: ‘We are delighted to be making good progress with the expansion works. Working collaboratively with the schools and the council we look forward to enhancing the learning environment for pupils in Slough.”
Some of the additional improvements to be made as part of the building works include a new entrance and sports hall for St Mary’s Primary, a bigger dining area and playground for James Elliman Academy and a new sports hall and school kitchen for Claycots Primary, based at the Town Hall site.
An artist impression of what James Elliman Academy would look like after expansion
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