Plans unveiled to extend 'over capacity' special educational needs school in Northampton

Plans have been unveiled to extend an “over capacity” special educational needs school in Northampton, which caters for hundreds of pupils.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has submitted plans to extend Northgate School Arts College in Queens Park Parade, Kingsthorpe. The college is an academy trust and has been since 2011.

The school has capacity for 200 students but currently has 262 on its roll, which has a “significant effect” on the day to day running of the school, according to WNC.

The proposal is to build an additional three classrooms to cater for an additional 39 pupils with provision for 22 extra spaces for staff and visitor’s car parking. Toilet facilities, a hygiene room and a room for small group work are also required, according to plans.

A WNC spokesman said in planning papers: "As a special school this [over capacity] has had a significant effect on the day to day running of the school. The school accommodates autistic students whose needs must be taken into consideration.

"Classrooms with capacity for 12 students are having to accommodate 15 students, which places strain on students and teachers of special needs pupils alike. With this additional classroom pressure there are no available spaces to allow students with special needs to take a ‘time out’.

"Those requiring the use of hygiene facilities are having to wait until the room becomes available. There is no available space for small group work, which is vital to the education of the students.

"Furthermore, the staffing ratio to students is high due to the complex needs of the students and car parking is at a premium. Most days there is inadequate provision for staff and visitor parking.

"Corridors are also having to be used to store disability and mobility equipment. The need for the school to adapt and expand is clear, particularly as it is currently over capacity.

"This proposal creates an opportunity for the school to improve its facilities, meet demands and secure the long-term viability of the school."

Initial plans to extend the school were submitted in 2020 but later withdrawn after Sport England said the proposals would encroach on to the youth football pitches. Despite this, the new plans would also encroach on to the school's playing field but WNC says the school has an “excess of external space compared to their [students'] needs”.

Planning papers say: "Whilst the extension and car parking will encroach onto the existing grass playing field the school is a special needs school and currently has an excess of external space compared to their needs.

"The playing fields are not in a condition to allow for all year use and this currently impacts on the physical education lessons that the school offers.

"A new floodlit multi-use games area pitch is proposed to ensure that the school can offer all year round, more controlled, outdoor PE classes for the students. It also offers the school the ability to hire out the pitch for community use."

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story stated that Northgate School was a local authority-run school. This is is incorrect, it is an academy trust. The article has been amended and we apologise for the error. The article also reported that WNC planning papers said the school has capacity for 200 students but currently has 247 on its roll. While this was accurately reported from the WNC papers, the school has asked us to amend the article to say there 262 pupils on its roll. We are happy to make the correction.