Two more primary schools in Northampton could double in size to cope with the recent rise in the birth rate in the town.
Consultations have been launched by Northamptonshire County Council on plans to double the size of Lings and Chiltern primary schools from 210 to 420 places.
The local authority said the proposed extensions were needed to cope with the rising population of primary aged pupils living in the area, which is the result of the higher birth rate and inward migration to Northampton. There is pressure on primary school places in Northampton in particular and the county council is currently making plans to add over 4,400 primary places at schools across the town by September 2014.
Lings Primary, which was in special measures in September 2011, is now part of a new academy trust including five Northampton primary schools.
Leigh Wolmarans, headteacher of Lings Primary School, said: “I’ve always thought that the school is the centre of the community and we have children living in the community on the waiting list who we do not have space for.
“These children are then having to go to schools in different parts of the town, even if they have brothers or sisters who are at Lings Primary School.”
It is planned that a separate block of classrooms would be built on the school site.
The building proposal for the expansion of Chiltern Primary School, in Duston, has not been confirmed, but will be the subject of a “feasibility study”.
If the proposal goes ahead, both schools will increase their annual admission numbers from 30 to 60.
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