Two schools' big extension plans

Two schools in the Harborough district have submitted major extension plans to the district council in the last week.

Farndon Fields Primary School in Market Harborough will build seven new classrooms and grow in physical size by about 40 per cent, if a major re-design, and front and rear extensions, are approved by the council.

And St Luke’s Church Of England Primary School in Thurnby, about 15 miles north of Market Harborough, has plans to build a new detached two-classroom block at the village school.

At Farndon Fields, headteacher Nikki Matthew said: “It’s a very exciting time for the school.

“Predictions are that school numbers will grow from the current 207 pupils to 375 by 2020, because of new houses being built locally.

“We have capacity here for 210, so obviously something has to be done.”

If approval is granted by the district council, work on the expansion could start in May next year, after the SATS exams.

Then if everything runs to schedule, the major expansion will be complete by September 2018.

“By then we will have two form entry (two classes per school year)” said Mrs Matthew.

The expansion will mean the school will have to recruit more teachers and more classroom assistants.

The scheme also involves creating a bigger hall, a new community room and new kitchens.

St Luke’s Primary School, which is in Main Street, Thurnby, is looking to build a new detached, two-classroom block with associated cloak and toilet facilities.

Sue Bloy, the clerk to Thurnby and Bushby Parish Council, said that the school’s extension was also down to the parish’s growing population.

“We’ve got several new developments in the area, and as a result we need more places in the school” she said.