Extra 120 places at Wednesbury school under expansion plans

A new hall, classrooms and kitchen will be built at the Wood Green Junior School on Hobs Road as part of the scheme which would boost the total number of pupils to 360.

The school would also change from a two-form to a three-form as part of the expansion while an extra 10 staff are expected to be taken on.

Under the plans, the existing school hall would be converted into new classrooms, with a new hall to be built from scratch.

Two mobile classrooms and small extensions would be removed to allow for the extension. School leaders have indicated they would be keen to encourage as many of the new pupils to walk to school as possible to try and avoid congestion on surrounding roads.

The new buildings which will be created as part of the extension would also be built within the school boundaries. A sensory room, offices and store rooms would also be created.

The scheme will be welcome news to Sandwell Council, which has said it is facing a 'significant challenge' to ensure there are enough school places available over the next decade, with a baby boom and migration pushing schools to bursting point.

Thousands of homes are also due to be built in the coming years, with chiefs stressing the importance of schools keeping up with the increasing population.

Some 4,800 new school places need to be created by 2025 but less than half of that total has so far been identified through new schools which are in the pipeline.

Wednesbury Councillor Peter Hughes said more school places were badly needed in the town.

He said: "All the schools in the area are full, they are over-subscribed and we felt the expansion of Wood Green Juniors would fulfil the need of Sandwell residents and pupils living in Wednesbury.

"Quite a few of our children who live in the centre of Wednesbury have been displaced towards Friar Park rather than being able to attend a school more locally to them."

Councillor Hughes said schools such as Wood Green needed to be improved in order to be fit for the 21st century.

"Schools like Wood Green have not altered much in 50 years even though demand and population has gone up from that time," he said.