AN investment of up to half a million pounds has been agreed to remodel two Bournemouth schools to take a ‘bulge year’ of pupils.

The money will be spent at the two Avonbourne Schools to deal with a predicted rise in pupil numbers for 2022 and 2023.

Education portfolio holder Cllr Nicola Greene said the investment was needed to produce “a little bit of flex” for the extra numbers expected to be coming into the schools in Year 7 over a period of two academic years.

'Bulge classes' to tackle school places issue in Bournemouth

She said that the girls and boys schools, adjoining each other, at Littledown would use the money to re-arrange their campus layouts.

The money will come from either borrowing or capital grant funding, whichever proved to be the most convenient route.

Cllr Greene said the schools would also be asked to update their travel plans, if necessary, to cope with additional traffic caused by the rise in numbers, after concerns were raised by ward councillors.

Discussions to tackle the issue have been taking place prior to BCP Council being formed in April 2019.

Cllr Greene said the United Learning Trust (ULT) had agreed the temporary expansion of Avonbourne Boys Academy and Avonbourne Girls Academy and were confident of having the changes in place by the time they were needed.

Said a report to the Cabinet: “A feasibility study has established that no new building is required to accommodate the bulge classes; however, some remodelling and refurbishment is required to ensure that the correct teaching and ancillary spaces are available.”

The project allows for up to 30 temporary Year 7 places in 2022 and a further 30 in 2023.