More than £1 million is being earmarked to help one of York’s biggest schools grow and adapt.
The money will help Fulford School accommodate extra pupils and improve access to the school site, if agreed by City of York Council’s executive next week (7 May).
The proposed project with Fulford School and the South York Multi Academy Trust would open up another 30 places at the school for the start of the 2020/21 academic year, taking the total intake to 270 pupils.
If approved, the £500K re-modelling work would enable all the pupils from within the school’s catchment area who have requested a place to be accommodated in September.
The money will
- relocate the pupil reception area
- extend existing classrooms
- bring two double temporary classroom units back into use
- refurbish toilet facilities.
The proposal would also enable the introduction of a split lunch hour to ease the pressure on existing dining facilities.
This will also help create the space to conform with the social distancing required when schools reopen.
New access plan
The executive will also be asked to approve funding of £550,000 to change the access to Fulford School.
Final proposals will be subject to a public consultation, but could involve school buses accessing the school site via Fulfordgate to the north, significantly reducing the number of buses using the road.
This has been made possible thanks to the new road up to the school’s southern boundary, which was built as part of the Germany Beck development.
Steve Lewis, head teacher of Fulford School – rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted – said: “We remain committed to supporting our community by doing all we can to provide school places for children within catchment.
“This will only be possible with the expansion of the school. We continue to work closely with CYC to enable this to happen and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them for the benefit of the pupils and parents / carers of York.”
The proposed £500K re-modelling work would only provide a short term solution to address the immediate need for the 2020 Year 7 cohort.
A second phase of the capital plan, to meet the needs of the 2021/22 school year and beyond, is currently being developed.