Bournemouth to get brand new primary schools and extra classrooms to cope with demand

Councillors were warned that all the easy options for creating new school places have now been exhausted, yet the number of new four year olds requiring a reception class place shows no sign of abating.

Instead, the council is largely pinning its hopes on new schools to create the new places it needs. A new Catholic primary school, which will be part of St Peter's, should be ready to accept pupils by September 2014, along with a brand new primary school on an as yet unidentified site.

The Jewell Academy, which is due to open on the former Townsend School site this September, has also been earmarked for temporary expansion so it can accommodate 90 reception pupils.

Cllr Nicola Greene, cabinet member for education, said: “We are now at a point where the straightforward options have been done.

“It may be that some schools will need to become bigger and potentially we could be looking at split sites and future developments of new schools.

“We've already used some modular classrooms on some sites very successfully. They are far from the leaky classrooms that some of us may remember - they are warm, very attractive, bright and conducive to learning.”

Despite already creating new places to cater for pupils starting primary school this September, initial indications are that the council may have under-estimated demand.

As a result, another 30 reception places are to be offered at both Kingsleigh and Christ the King.

For pupils starting school in 2014, 60 extra permanent places will be created at Kingsleigh, a new Catholic school at St Peter's and a new free school or academy in an as yet unidentified location.

The following schools will all see an expansion of 30 spaces - Winton, Elmrise. Jewell Academy, Christ the King and St Katharine's.

There are also plans to expand an as yet unidentified school in the central or south eastern part of the borough by 30 places.