£21 million schools plan to provide more classrooms in Sandwell
Three secondary schools in Sandwell are to get a £21 million cash boost to provide almost 1,000 pupil places.
Bristnall Hall Academy, Q3 Academy Langley and West Bromwich Collegiate Academy will share the windfall which will meet a growing demand for more classrooms in the borough.
Sandwell’s cabinet is expected to approve the multi-million plan when it meets on Wednesday. The investment has been welcomed by the head of Bristnall Hall, Kully Uppal, who said it will help transform children’s lives.
He said: “All of us at Bristnall Hall Academy are really excited about this multi-million pound investment in the education of children and young people within Sandwell.
"The collaborative commitment made by Sandwell Council and our Academy Transformation Trust will be of great benefit to the whole community.
“Bristnall Hall is over-subscribed each year and as the highest performing academy within the local authority, as well as being the only 5-star rated secondary school in the area. We want to have as many places available as possible for our prospective students.”
He added: “Every parent has the right to choose the best education for their children and now, with capacity increasing at the academy, we can welcome more families into our Bristnall Hall community and continue transforming lives of even more students.”
A report to councillors says an extra 3,300 secondary school places are needed by 2025 following a boom in Sandwell’s birth rate and increasing numbers of people moving to the borough.
Recommending approval, education bosses say: “Whilst the unprecedented growth in the birth rate experienced over recent years has started to ease, the borough continues to receive a high demand for school places, primarily due to increased migration and retention rates.
“If there is an insufficiency of school places this will have a detrimental impact on children’s future access to school places within Sandwell and the council’s reputation will be detrimentally affected.”
In total the council will pay out £19,460,000 while schools contribute £1.3 million, providing space for 990 youngsters.
West Bromwich Collegiate Academy will receive over £7 million to expand its roll by 450 places and Q3 Langley gets £8 million ro provide classrooms for an extra 390 pupils. Bristnall Hall in Oldbury will see its numbers increase by 130 after a £5 million cash boost.
Construction work on the schools is expected to be completed by September 2021.
