Northampton school to build temporary classrooms as construction work delayed by a year

Wootton Park School opened in 2016 but its permanent building on the site off Mereway is yet to be completed.

A planning application now states that construction work is running over time and the original opening date of September 2019 has given way to a revised date of September 2020.

It means the school needs a new temporary block and also must apply to retain the existing temporary block for a further year.

The application, on behalf of the Department for Education, says: "A further 180 pupils are expected to begin at Wootton Park School in September 2019, however it is anticipated that the permanent accommodation will now not be completed until September 2020.

"This is due to unforeseen delays in completing the legal agreement (Section 106) on the permanent scheme, which subsequently delayed commencement on site.

"In light of this, the school will need to reside in temporary accommodation for a further academic year."

The modular building will be two storeys high and provide 10 classrooms. It is required for one academic year, but the DofE is asking for permission for it to remain for 18 months "to safeguard the school's operation against any further unforseen delays."

When the new building is built and filled, there will be 720 pupils at the site. The school hopes to eventually attract 1,290 pupils.

Based on recent numbers of applicants, that should not be a problem. It has had record numbers of applications for entry to both primary and secondary phases.

The school is oversubscribed, with waiting lists for years 7 and 8.