LODDON Primary School will expand by 60 places this year, Wokingham Borough Council has confirmed.

Plans to accommodate an additional 30 reception and 30 Year 1 children at the Silverdale Road school were approved by the executive committee at a meeting last night.

WBC officers made the recommendation after more than 30 children in Earley were allocated places in neighbouring towns last year after all five state-run primary schools were fully subscribed.

Education chiefs at the borough council highlighted the number of families with children moving into formerly childless houses in the town as the main reason for the lack of places.

 

 

The plans will also see Highwood Primary School in Fairwater Drive, Woodley, expand by 15 places to ease the demand for school places in Woodley.

Beechwood Primary School and Aldryngton Primary School are also set to be enlarged, but not until 2017.

Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for children’s services, said:  “I’m delighted the executive agreed a clear plan for sufficient primary school places in good schools in our Borough.

"This builds on our track record of strong investment for children and young people in this Borough and delivery of school places that are required. We will be working closely with schools to deliver these plans so that we continue to provide high quality primary education in Wokingham Borough.”

The council's long term plan is to increase school places by 315 places in Woodley and Earley over the next seven years.

A report prepared by officers, which was approved at a meeting in the council's Shute End offices last night, read: "Earley has 3,114 primary school places covering all year groups.

"All primary schools in Earley were filled in 2015 and 30 children in the Earley Planning area were unable to be placed in the area and were diverted to schools in neighbouring areas.

"In all cases the expansions will lead over a seven year period to the full expansion of the schools [210 places in Earley, 105 places in Woodley].

"Additional capacity will be required in Woodley as the impact of new housing development is seen. An additional 30 places per year will be required from 2017."

More to follow.