Oxford,
16
March
2017
|
09:59
Europe/London

Thumbs-up for village school expansion plans

Plans to expand Chesterton Primary School and create a more flexible teaching space have been given the go-ahead by Oxfordshire County Council.

The project, which is in response to new housing development in the school’s catchment area, will allow the school to increase its pupil admission number from 20 to 30, enabling teachers to work with one year-group per class rather than mixed-ages in the same room.

The new classroom block will contain one ‘group room’ and a specially designed flexible working space. It will be delivered by developer funding linked to the local housing growth.

Sustainable future

The council’s Cabinet Member for Education Steve Harrod said: “I’m very pleased to give the go-ahead to this expansion project, which will not only provide the necessary accommodation to admit more children, but also create an excellent new teaching space for staff and pupils.

“I share the governors’ view that this will secure a sustainable future for the school, while retaining its ethos and village character. I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition and to more local families joining the Chesterton Primary School community.”

Cllr Harrod added: “Legitimate concerns over a potential increase in local traffic were raised during consultation, and due consideration was given to these. It was felt that the project should be approved in order to secure the school’s future while funding is available, and that these issues could be addressed as part of the planning process.”