CREDIT: This story was first seen the Essex Live
Plans announced by the Essex County Council will see £230m spent on creating mainstream school places, with a total of 7,200 primary and 5,400 secondary school places due to be created by September 2019, the Essex Live reports.
In addition to this, £85m will be spent on creating 400 new special school places, a record investment into the special schooling system by the Council. The investment comes as a response to the growing number of young people in the county being diagnosed with autism and an increase in demand for special school places in general.
As part of their announcement, the council have released a provisional list of school projects for the coming academic years.
Many are still subject to consultation, but so far they include:
Projects being delivered for the 2017/18 academic year:
- Expansion of Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport (145 new places)
- Expansion of The Stanway School, Colchester (300 new places)
- Expansion of Philip Morant School, Colchester (300 new places)
- Expansion White Bridge Primary School, Loughton (210 new places)
- Expansion of De Vere Primary School, Castle Hedingham (70 new places)
- Expansion of The Flitch Green Academy, Felsted (105 new places)
- Expansion of The Phoenix Primary School, Laindon (210 new places)
- Expansion of Ghyllgrove Infant and Junior Schools, Basildon (210 new places)
- Expansion of Cressing Primary School (70 new places)
- Expansion of Hogarth Primary School, Brentwood (210 new places)
- Expansion of Kingsmoor Academy, Harlow (210 new places)
- Expansion of Northwick Park Primary Academy, Canvey Island (210 new places)
- Relocation and expansion of Glenwood School, Thundersley (95 new places)
While final delivery dates for the above expansion projects may vary, the council is committed to meeting the initial need for spaces for September 2017 (e.g. reception or Year 7 places).
Projects being delivered for the 2018/19 academic year:
- New 420-place primary school, Newhall, Harlow
- New 420-place primary school, Beaulieu Park, Chelmsford (to operate as all-through school)
- Expansion of Home Farm Primary School, Colchester (210 new places)
- Expansion of Stanway Fiveways Primary School, Colchester (315 new places)
- Expansion of Stanway Primary School, Colchester (140 new places)
- Expansion of St. Michael’s Primary School, Colchester (210 new places)
- Expansion of Unity Academy, Colchester (210 new places)
- Expansion of West Hatch High School, Chigwell (300 new places)
- Expansion of Roding Valley High School, Loughton (150 new places)
- Expansion of Elsenham Primary School (210 new places)
- Expansion of Moulsham High School, Chelmsford (new places – exact figure TBC)
Projects being delivered for the 2019/20 academic year:
- New 900-place secondary school, Beaulieu Park, Chelmsford (to operate as all-through school)
- New 900-place secondary school, Colchester (former Alderman Blaxill site)
- New 210-place primary school, Smith’s Farm, Great Dunmow
- Relocation and expansion of Lexden Springs School, Colchester (80 new places, plus 30 boarding places)
- Expansion of Oak View School, Loughton (24 new places)
Councillor Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “We are committed to ensuring young people in Essex receive the best possible education and their individual needs are met.
“Our strong track record in investing in new school places has meant the vast majority of pupils have continued to be offered a place at one of their parents’ preferred schools.
“It is very important that investment continues and I am delighted we are planning to spend about £315m over the coming years on creating thousands more school places across the county.”
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