Expansion plan for Wolverhampton school to cope with increased demand
A Wolverhampton school looks set to increase the number of places it offers to cope with growing demand across the city.
Hill Avenue Primary Academy in Lanesfield has submitted a proposal to Wolverhampton Council planners to build four new classrooms at its current site.
The aim is to increase the capacity of the school by adding 105 children to the current 329 on the roll from 2022.
Academy bosses said it is becoming increasingly popular with parents in the area too with first choice preferences shooting up over the last five years.
As well as the new classrooms, Hill Avenue – which is part of the Manor Multi Academy Trust – will also build a new reception entrance area if the plans are approved.
In their application, the school is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and would be ‘suitable’ for an expansion to deliver the extra spaces.
It said: “The main challenge that the City of Wolverhampton faces in relation to the organisation of school provision is ensuring that sufficient high-quality school places are available to meet the needs of school communities across the City.
“Citywide demand for primary school places is projected to increase year on year from academic year 2020-21 to 2022-23 from 3,506 to 3,562.
“The Academy has become more popular over recent years. The number of 1st preferences have increased by 238 per cent between 2017 and 2021.
“The school is larger than the average sized primary school and the proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average.
“The school has been identified as suitable for expansion and is proposed
as increasing from 1.5 to 2 forms of entry, effective from September 2022.
“The expansion would provide an additional 105 permanent places.
“The additional pupil numbers will require the school to increase it’s teaching space, as well as seek to improve core amenities. Four further classrooms will be created, and a new reception entrance lobby area.
“In addition, the expansion of Hill Avenue Academy will support the local authority’s statutory duty in ensuring sufficient school places are available.”
