A PRIMARY school in Westbury looks set to build four new classrooms to make room for an extra 145 pupils as more houses are built nearby over the coming years.
Bitham Brook Primary School, on Arundell Close, has applied for permission to extend the school using money from the £2.2million which is to be provided by companies building new houses at The Mead and Bitham Park.
The development, to be completed in two phases as the new estates are built, could see four new classrooms built, a technology room, group work rooms, an extended school hall and more new facilities.
Headteacher David Ross told White Horse News, “This is an exciting time and a great opportunity for the school to improve. We’re looking forward to expanding the buildings and being able to offer better facilities for our pupils and grow our school family.
“This is going to be a gradual development so we’re totally committed to maintaining the very positive, friendly small school feel that we have at Bitham Brook.
“I expect pupils to trickle in as more families move to the area, rather than 100 arriving at once, so we’ll be able to uphold our values and attitude to learning and make it a natural growth.”
The expansion would mean that the school would upgrade to a ‘two form entry’, replacing the current mixed age classes with two classes per year group.
The school would expect to admit around 60 pupils per year, up on its current 42. An extra four teachers would eventually be needed, as well as more teaching assistants.
Barratt Homes is currently building 220 new homes at White Horse View near The Mead and is expected to contribute £788,206 to the school, according to a legal agreement with Wiltshire Council.
Robert Hitchins Ltd, which was recently given permission to build 300 homes on the fields opposite Bitham Park, is expected to contribute £1,463,184.
Whether work goes ahead according to current plans depends on whether Wiltshire Council gives planning consent.
To see or comment on the plans enter reference 16/07361/FUL in the planning search at www.wiltshire.gov.uk
The plans indicate that the new buildings would extend onto the grassy area to the north of the school – not the playing field.
“Progress will really depend on planning permission and money from the developers,” head, David Ross continued. “But we are hoping the first stage will get under way in 2017.
“We’re looking forward to this new chapter and to keeping all the things that are great about our school and being able to offer them to more children.”
