Four Peterborough schools set to expand to cope with rising numbers of pupils

Extension works are to be carried out at four Peterborough schools later this year in a bid to help them cope with rising pupil numbers.

Extra classrooms, new toilets and a new teaching block are among the projects being carried out by Peterborough City Council to enable the schools to accommodate both an expected rise in pupils and a growing demand for help with a range of learning difficulties.

The four schools that will undergo expansion are the Duke of Bedford Primary School in Thorney, Stanground Academy, in Peterborough Road, plus Marshfields School in Eastern Close, and NeneGate School in Park Lane, following approval being granted for the works by councillors earlier this year.

At the Duke of Bedford Primary School work will begin this summer to create two mobile classroom units with toilets.

In addition, an internal reconfiguration of existing toilets will be carried out to create extra facilities within the building.

The council says the expansion works, which will be completed by September this year, will allow the number of pupils entering each year to increase in phases from 30 to 45, which is an additional 15 pupils per year.

The project will be funded using Community Infrastructure Levy contributions from Allison Homes following its housing development in Thorney.

There will also be additional basic need grant funding from the council.

At Stanground Academy there will be an extension created for additional dining room space to ensure it can cater for rising pupil numbers in the south of Peterborough.

The works started in March this year and the facility will be open for use by September this year.

Work to increase capacity by two classrooms with toilets at Marshfields School to create 16 additional places for primary aged children with severe learning difficulties will start in July 2025 and will be ready for use from September this year.

And NeneGate School will get a new teaching block with five classrooms to educate an additional 40 pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs at the school, across a phased period of two years.

As a result of the extension, the school would also extend its primary setting to the whole of Key Stage Two, which is years three to six.

The new teaching block is expected to be built by September 2026.

Councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children's services at Peterborough City Council, said: “The council has a statutory duty to provide a school place for every child living in its area of responsibility who is of school age and whose parents want their child educated in the state sector.

“We have made the decision to fund the extensions at these schools because of the current and forecast pupil demand in these areas.

"In addition, the number of children on Education, Health and Care Plans are also continuing to rise, especially in children with severe learning difficulties and social and emotional mental health needs.

"We want every Peterborough child to attend a school within the city and these projects demonstrate the hard work and investment the council is making in achieving this aim."