£12m scheme adds extra school places
Last updated at 12:50, Wednesday, 12 September 2012
SCHOOLS have been revamped as part of a £12m scheme to increase places.
As the new term began this week, pupils at Carlisle’s Brook Street and St Cuthbert’s schools were the latest to benefit, with places at Brook Street increasing from 30 to 45 with extra early years classrooms, and St Cuthbert’s by seven to 30.
In Penrith, St Catherine’s Catholic Primary and Brunswick Infants schools have been increased from 15 to 20, and 45 to 60.
Cumbria County Council has earmarked the money to increase reception places by 176 this autumn as part of a Transforming Learning project.
Another eight schools in Carlisle are to be improved – including some extensions – with work to take place at Kingmoor Nursery/ Infants, Kingmoor Juniors, Yewdale, Newtown, Pennine Way, Robert Ferguson, Upperby and Petteril Bank.
Design consultants have also been appointed for the expansion of Upperby, Petteril Bank and Newtown schools.
Council officials said the rebuilding of Harraby’s Pennine Way Primary School in Carlisle will be the centre-piece of Transforming Learning.
Duncan Fairbairn, county council cabinet member for schools and learning, said they were making “excellent progress.”
“We are shaping the future provision of primary education in Carlisle and Penrith and equipping our schools to meet the growing demand for places.”
“An additional 176 reception places have been created at schools for the start of this term and I’m looking forward to seeing further building work coming to fruition over the next couple of years.
“Expanding all these schools and building a brand new Pennine Way Primary is tremendous news for the city and highlights our ongoing commitment to providing not only the best education for Cumbria’s children, but the best facilities for that education.”
The project will eventually provide more than 1,200 extra places.
VBrenan@cngroup.co.uk
First published at 11:27, Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
My little girl goes to upperby and i think its fab news abt extra places as the school is a brilliant school
Have your say
Any new investment into education, including buildings must surely be welcomed, I just hope that good quality teachers,(who have experience other than teaching) both male and female can be employed to follow this up.
Posted by Michael Owen on 14 September 2012 at 11:00