Moves for 200 extra Sandwell school places backed
Education chiefs in Sandwell are pressing ahead with plans to create more than 200 new primary school places in the borough after the proposals were attracted wide support during a consultation exercise.
Sandwell Council wants to create new entry forms at All Saints CE and Hargate Primary schools, in West Bromwich, and Burnt Tree Primary School and Moat Farm Infant School, in Oldbury. It also wants to expand the town's Annie Lennard Infant School, with 90 more places.
The extra places will be required in September 2014 if the scheme goes ahead.
A consultation was launched on the schemes with the majority of people who commented on the proposals in favour of them.
Councillor Bob Badham, cabinet member for children and families at Sandwell Council, said: "It is important we continue to provide places in areas of demand and these proposals will do just that.
"There is now another formal period of consultation before we can confirm whether these expansions will go ahead but initial feedback seems to indicate overwhelming support.
"We have already provided over 300 new reception places over the last two years across Sandwell and this programme of expansion is set to continue as more young people choose to live and raise their families here."
Multi-million pound expansion projects have previously been announced for Shireland Hall Primary School in Smethwick, Brandhall Primary, in Oldbury and Rowley Hall Primary in Rowley Regis.
While a £3m expansion of Crocketts Community Primary School, in Smethwick, which will see hundreds of new places and create 21 jobs, have been approved by Sandwell Council.
Pupil numbers will double from 210 to 420 under the scheme. The project involves a new teaching block with eight classrooms which will house Key Stage 2 pupils. Key Stage 1 pupils will continue to be taught at the current site.
