Telford & Wrekin Council invests in borough schools

Telford & Wrekin Council is expanding its secondary school provision by another 300 school places, part of its £31 million investment into schools over the next two years.

Work is to start at The Telford Langley School to provide these extra secondary school places, increasing capacity to take account of growth happening in the borough.

Further expansions will also be planned at other school sites across the borough in due course.

The £3 million scheme will include constructing a new two storey, 300 pupil classroom facility at the Telford Langley’s site in Dawley, along with reconfiguring and refurbishing areas of the ground floor and first floor of the existing school building.  

This project is part of the £31 million investment into borough schools to improve facilities and meet the growing demand for places in local schools.

The Langley development will also develop a partnership arrangement for a secondary Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) hub to bridge the gap between specialist and mainstream schooling. 

This will offer a greater choice for parents and means children with more complex SEND are educated alongside their mainstream peers. 

Cllr Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “This represents a £3 million investment by the Council in the future of the borough and underscores our commitment to provide local school places for local children.

“Expanding provision at Telford Langley will provide more secondary places for children in the Dawley area and enable even more children to attend a school which is closer to their home address.

“This will be on top of the £200 million Building Schools for the Future programme which completed four years ago, benefitting every secondary school in the borough.”

Executive Headteacher at Langley School Steven Carter, said: “The Telford Langley is a school in the heart of its community and we are committed to 'Ensuring Excellence' in everything we do” here. 

“We firmly believe that all students should feel safe, happy and cared for in an environment that is well disciplined, allowing students to be successful and enjoy their learning. 

“This major improvement project will help us to provide an even more stimulating environment and new spaces for growth and learning.” 

Leading Shropshire construction company Morris Property have been awarded the design & build project and refurbishment programme and will work with the Council to create the exciting new facilities for the school, which is part of the Community Academies Trust.

Contracts Manager Glyn O’Hara, from Morris Property, commented: “We are thrilled to once again be working with colleagues at Telford & Wrekin Council, using our specialist educational construction experience to good effect.  

“Having recently completed projects at John Randall and Newport Junior and Ladygrove schools, the team here understand the dynamics of constructing within the school environment and are keen to produce the highest quality transformation with the minimum of disruption.”