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£6.8 million to create 300 new school places in Erdington

Birmingham City Council will shell out nearly £7 million to create 300 more school places in Erdington.

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Erdington Academy. Photo: Google Maps

Proposals went before the council's cabinet on September 8, for the expansion of Erdington Academy, from a school with capacity for 900 pupils aged 11 to 16 years old, to one with capacity for 1,200 students.

The works, which would total £6,825,463, would see a new two-storey teaching block added to the existing site, as well as the refurbishment of parts of the existing main school building to provide the required additional teaching space for the increased intake.

This new building would feature a range of science labs and prep rooms, a drama teaching space, staff work rooms, office space and new staff and pupil toilets, while an alteration in the existing main school building would provide standard classroom teaching space and additional food technology teaching space.

If granted, planning permission, work on the new site would commence on November 23 this year, with a proposed completion date of December 24, 2021.

Inspiration

Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for education, skills and culture, said: “We have a duty to ensure that sufficient school places are available in our city.

“Erdington Academy currently has 900 pupils, and the proposal is to expand two forms of entry to 1,200 places for pupils aged 11 to 16 years old.

“There’s been a slight delay with planning, so it will be heard toward the end of September and once secured we will be able to carry on with completion of the work.”

Erdington Academy hit the headlines last month after teacher Natalie Davidson opened up about her own personal struggles as part of a Channel 5 documentary.

The 38-year-old science teacher, who was diagnosed with Coprolalia Tourette Syndrome at the age of 23 following a harrowing rape, was praised online for sharing her own experience with the cameras, with some branding her a ‘true inspiration’.

Papers also note that a contingency sum of £442,944 has been included in the overall project cost.

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