Plans for Tipton school to offer 300 more places in brand new building
A primary school will move from its outdated Victorian home to a brand new building offering 300 more spaces for pupils, under plans.
Sacred Heart Primary will move from its base in Victoria Road, Tipton, to the purpose-built site just half a mile away in Sedgley Road East, if given the go-ahead.
The school and nursery would occupy a site the size of nearly two football pitches next to the Coneygre Youth Arts Centre.
Proposals submitted to Sandwell Council say the new school – which could open from October 2016 – will tackle a shortage of primary school places in the local area.
Sacred Heart headteacher Melanie Gee said: "Having a purpose built state-of-the-art school will be great for children and the local community.
"We will be able to offer over places to over 300 more children to meet the local demand for school places.
"We really hope these plans are approved so we can start looking forward to the new school building.
"If planning permission is given we plan to start on site in January 2016 with an anticipated completion date of mid October 2016."
The existing site in Victoria Road is the smallest school in Sandwell. It was built in the 1920s and is deemed no longer fit for purpose by council chiefs. The school currently has 112 pupils aged three to 11. The new school would offer spaces for 420 children. In June it was listed as one of four schools across the borough with an average Key Stage One class size of 31, above the statutory limit of 30.
The new school would have 14 classrooms, a nursery with 30 spaces, a multi-use games area and hard and soft play facilities.
It would employ 53 full-time staff with a further four on a part-time basis.
The council-run community centre would be unaffected by the scheme and be given an improved access drive.
The planning application states: "The proposed development will help to address a need for primary pupil places in the area, in addition to providing employment for the school staff. The scheme has also been designed to allow for community use at evenings and weekends. The proposed school will cater for a minority of pupils with special needs, and the building has been designed for full accessibility throughout."
