Expansion plans for school as Dudley faces increased demand for places
Proposals have been submitted to extend a Stourbridge school – as council bosses bid to increase the number of secondary school places in borough due to demand.
The Wordsley School could see pupil numbers increase from 755 to 1,055 over five years, starting from September 2020.
An application has been submitted to build a new teaching block – including ten classrooms and a library space – sports hall and sports courts at the Brierley Hill Road site.
A design and access statement, submitted with the plans, said: "The school is an area that has seen significant increase in birth rate and has sufficient space for additional accommodation.
"The authority believe they will be able to accommodate extra pupils without an adverse effect on standards of education.
"As part of the design process, a review has been undertaken of the existing faciities and some of the additional facilities have been incorporated into the existing building, additional science rooms, SEN, modern languages and increased dining facilities have all been created by redesigning rooms within the existing buildings.
Sports hall
"The existing gymnasium will now form much-needed space for performing arts and drama.
"The new building will provide a new appropriate sized sports hall, ten classrooms, library space, offices, toilets and stroage spaces. In addition to the new building, a small single storey extension to the existing school is required to provide further toilets and additional car parking for the increase in staff numbers."
Dudley Council is expanding the number of secondary school places, due to an increase in demand in the borough. The authority say the need for additional school places is expected to continue and the borough has experienced an increase in the number of primary age children over recent years – with the demand now pushing into the secondary sector.
After a public consultation, the Wordsley School and the Crestwood School, in Kingswinford, were identfied for expansion. An application to expand the Creswood is expected at a later date.
