Shropshire Council confirms record investment in education across the county

This investment includes £24.49 million to expand and enhance school capacity, including new classrooms, additional teaching spaces and improved early years provision in key areas (the Phase 4 Education Place Planning programme), and £8.5 million to create new and additional specialist provision across the county (SEND Place Planning programme).

The Phase 4 Education Place Planning programme responds to sustained increases in demand for school places, particularly where housing growth and local demographic trends mean more families are choosing to live and learn in Shropshire.

Projects included in the programme cover a range of primary and secondary schools and early years settings. This investment will help ensure that children and young people across Shropshire have access to the high-quality education places they need, with facilities that support teaching and learning now and in the future.

The SEND Place Planning programme focuses on establishing Resourced Provisions (RP) and SEN Units, often referred to as ‘hubs’ within mainstream settings to meet the growing demand for specialist places.

The funding package brings together Government Basic Need Grant and High Needs Provision Capital Allocation (HNPCA) Grant, developer contributions, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and other capital resources, meaning the programme is fully funded without drawing on day-to-day council services.

Councillor Andy Hall, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:

“This record investment in our schools is about giving our children and young people the best possible start in life.

“By planning and delivering additional school places now, we are supporting local families, schools and communities so that children can learn, grow and thrive close to home. This is particularly important when it comes to SEND provision.

“We’ve listened carefully to what headteachers and parents have told us, and these programmes set out clear action to meet that demand.”

Plans are now moving into the delivery phase with detailed designs and consultations under way with schools and affected communities. Shropshire Council will continue to work closely with headteachers, governors, parents and partners to ensure the projects are delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption to pupils.

The following schools are included in this phase of the investment programme:

- Belvidere Secondary: 6 Classroom Expansion

- Meole Brace Secondary: Dining room/hall/facilities expansion

- Welshampton: Purchase and improvement of hall/nursery

- St Giles Primary: Expansion to 2 form entry

- Moreton Say: Expansion

- Lakelands: Expansion

- Corbett: 2 classroom expansion

- Mary Webb: 3 classroom expansion

- Ludlow Juniors: Infants and juniors combined

- Whitchurch Juniors: Expansion

- Coleham: Early Years provision