A BURTON primary school will be expanded next year in order to cope with extra demand for pupil places.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet has agreed the formal ‘enlargement’ of River View Primary and Nursery School, in Suffolk Road, Stapenhill, from September 2014 after receiving no objections to a statutory proposal.
The plans are part of a raft of measures to provide an extra 1,000 primary school places in the town over the next 10 years, and comes after a four week representation period in which people could object to the plans.
The council is looking to expand the school and increase reception places from 45 to 60 from September 2014. Eventually, the school will provide a total of 420 full-time places.
Chris Bell, headteacher at River View, said: “Expanding our school will be a really positive move.
“Over the last few years we have seen an increase in numbers wanting to come to the school, and we think the expansion will allow us to accommodate more pupils, but also provide extra facilities for children and families in the area.
“We are a rapidly improving school, so it will be really exciting to be able to bring more pupils to River View.”
To accommodate this increase in pupils, River View will have its teaching accommodation increased by two classrooms, two existing classrooms will be extended and capital investment will also be used to improve resource areas and toilets.
Ian Parry, cabinet member for education, finance and transformation, said: “Although we have seen increasing demand for school places across the county, it is in Burton where we find the most immediate need.
“The county council has acted quickly in putting in a comprehensive range of measures to ensure children and young people in the area have access to good quality education provision.
“The enlargement of River View will create more primary school places for the children of Burton and is part of our ambition to create a prosperous Staffordshire.”
