Green light for school revamp
A £700,000 scheme to remodel and extend a South Kirkby school has been given the go-ahead.
Wakefield Council agreed the plans for Northfield Primary School, on Northfield Lane, at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The scheme was approved following a decision made by the council last June to close Burntwood J&I, in South Kirkby, in a bid to cut surplus places across the district.
The Church Top school, which has 55 spare places, will close on August 31.
Northfield will offer places to displaced Burntwood pupils.
A report to cabinet said a feasibility study on remodelling and extending Northfield to accommodate the additional pupils, while retaining the autism centre, had been undertaken.
The report said: “Some remodelling would be required, including formation of a suitably-sized foundation unit, staffroom and greater classroom provision. Some of the existing spaces will also revert back to classroom space.”
The report said the headteacher and governors at Northfield had been consulted and concerns were raised about the amount of ‘hard-surfaced playing space’ that may be removed.
Future consultations are expected to take place with staff, governors, parents, pupils and the community.
Funding has been made available from a Devolved Formula Capital and Harnessing Technology grant and schools modernisation grant, which is dependent on future capital spending review allocations.
But district councillor Harold Mills said he would prefer to see a new school built.
Speaking about the proposed scheme, he said: “I will not hold my breath, it depends on what they are talking about doing. I would like to see state-of-the-art remodelling, which looks at what’s best for the pupils. You aren’t going to get much for 700,000, is it going to be enough?”
The future use of Burntwood J&I School will be discussed at a later date.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the cabinet also agreed to negotiate with South Kirkby and Moorthorpe Town Council over a potential lease for the former Moorthorpe Primary School playing field.
A report to cabinet said the town council wanted to develop the site as a ‘central community use field’.
Coun Laurie Harrison, head of the town council, said: “It’s a wonderful opportunity. It can be used for the youngsters in the area. Every time they’ve said they wanted a skate park there’s always been some reason why they can’t have it. We will explore all avenues to try and get them what they want.”
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Weather for Wakefield
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
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