Huge expansion plans for Mansfield primary school

Up to 210 new pupils could be accommodated over the next six years at King Edward Primary if plans to build eight new classrooms are approved.

Earmarked for land next to the existing site on Littleworth, there are also blueprints for extending the staff car park and creating two five-a-side football pitches.

The application has been submitted by Nottinghamshire County Council as part of its ongoing obligation to provide sufficient spaces for growing numbers of pupils.

As part of the council’s application, it states that the primary school has, historically, been ‘oversubscribed for many years’ meaning major expansion is required sooner rather than later.

A statement with the application reads: “Pressure on places has not subsided and schools in the area continue to be oversubscribed.

“The development will provide essential facilities to enable the existing school to respond to population growth in the area and add value to the locality, by providing essential accommodation quickly for the benefit of the teaching and learning of local pupils.”

The original school building was constructed in the early 20th century, and a nursery block was built in 2001.

In 2013, a further two classrooms were built to ease pressure on the growing number of youngsters in the catchment area needing places.

A modern single-storey building is planned for the eight-class block.

Figures show that almost 480 pupils were enrolled at the school last year, and it is proposed that the new classrooms would increase by almost 50 per cent.

The existing staff car park will also be increased in capacity from 34 to 57 spaces.

Mansfield and Nottinghamshire county councillor, Steve Garner, said such moves for expansion were being seen all across the county because of growing numbers of youngsters.

But he raised concerns that a programme for secondary schools is yet to begin.

He said: “All of these extra primary school pupils will grow up and need secondary school places, and we have gone down the process of 
creating those extra places yet.”