School set for £3.4m expansion

EXPANDING . . . Freehold Community School

FREEHOLD Primary School will double in size with a £3.4 million building project — almost £1 million more than first estimated — if plans are approved next week.

The Sidmouth Street school, built in 1981, will become two-form entry to cope with new housing in the area.

Last year 60 new pupils joined classes and the same number are expected this September.

Last year two temporary classrooms had to be added, contrary to council policy, because more than 40 pupils would not get a school place within reasonable walking distance without them.

Now the new buildings are scheduled to open in September, 2010, if councillors pass the proposal on Wednesday.

The original total planned to spend on the school was £2.5 million, but councillors will hear that costs have gone up since the Cabinet originally agreed in October that the extensions were needed.

Major work on the 28-year-old building will also include electrical rewiring and a new heating boiler.

There will be more parking spaces, more play areas and a multi-use games area, as well as a new retaining wall.

The new build will include a community room, library, special educational needs office, and a lift to the first floor where older children will be taught, including an ICT suite.

The school is also spending £60,000 from its own resources to improve existing classrooms, toilets and a food technology room.

After going to Cabinet, the scheme passes to the Planning Committee on May 26, with work due to start by July.

Officers say the scheme is excellent value for money as building a new one-form entry school would cost £3.5 million, plus the cost of the land, and money would still have to be spent on the existing school.