New Bristol school extended to meet demand for places
A BRISTOL school that opened only three years ago has had to be extended to meet demand for places.
Barton Hill Primary School and Children's Centre was built to take a maximum of 315 pupils, aged four to 11.
But it has now opened some new modular classrooms to allow it to take in 60 children to its reception class rather than 45, meaning that in time the primary school will grow to 420 places.
It is one of more than 20 schools in the city that have expanded to accommodate the rising number of young children.
Barton Hill, in Queen Ann Street, officially launched its new two-storey building, which houses four classrooms, on Friday.
Bristol's strategic director for children, young people and skills Annie Hudson and cabinet councillor for children Clare Campion-Smith were there, as well as Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West, Stephen Williams.
Principal Simon Robinson said: "We are delighted to be able to open more spaces in our school. Our new building has been completed on time.
"All of the new furniture and resources arrived on time and the children and parents were really pleased with it.
"This means that we will be able to offer more local families places in their local school, something we feel very strongly about.
"Our school continues to improve and this is another sign of our improvement and our reputation in the local community as a good school for local children."
The council has spent more than £4 million over two years on providing 355 additional places to ensure that every child who needs one can get into primary school.
But it recognises that more needs to be done to meet the continuing growth in demand.
Some of the money has been spent on the new buildings, which are described as modular, rather than temporary, because they are of a high standard to meet the requirements of a 21st century school and modern standards for energy use, and some on improving existing buildings.
Other schools that have installed modular classrooms are Glenfrome, May Park, Millpond, Stoke Bishop and Waycroft primaries.
Waycroft has been expanded to take in pupils from Stockwood Green Primary, which has closed.
Other schools that have taken in additional pupils last year or this include Cabot, St Barnabas, Easton, Hannah More, Badocks Wood, Horfield, Little Mead, Westbury-on-Trym, Christ Church, Ashton Vale and Headley Park primaries and Filton Avenue Infants.
This is in addition to Ashley Down Junior School, which has now become Ashley Down Primary School and has a reception class that is starting out in rooms at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club until new school buildings nearby are ready.
3 Comments
by Doug, BS3
Sunday, September 05 2010, 10:18PM
“Philip & Nostradamus you almost say it all, the only thing you forget is to thank tony blair for his legacy.”
by Nostradamus, Bristol
Sunday, September 05 2010, 10:39AM
“Philip, it might not be PC, but it is pertinent. Considering that the birth-death rate for indigenous white people is more or less equal, and comparing this with the reckless breeding by certain sections of those 'enriching' our otherwise drab existence (no doubt increased by their menfolk's liking for having more than one wife), the answer is all too obvious.”
by Philip Morris, Barton Hill
Saturday, September 04 2010, 9:03PM
“Prior to having the new school built, a lot of the children were taught in 'prefabs' - hence the so called planned new school that had the capability to cater for all the children of the area, even the 'new immigrants' from the war torn countries of France, Holland, Italy, and Norway. A prefab is a prefab be it called a modular class room or a space enhancer.
It may not be P.C. to ask the question but how many of the children attending the school are of British decendants ?”