Consultation over school expansion plans begins

Proposals to start a consultation over plans to expand a secondary school, making space for hundreds of extra students, have been approved.

The enlargement of Colton Hills Community School in Wolverhampton would initially allow 79 students extra students to join in 2027, and that annual increase would create 395 permanent places across Years 7-11 by September 2031, the council said.

The proposals are designed to meet growing demand for secondary school places in the south east of the city, it added.

The authority stated the initial period of consultation would give people the opportunity to share their views and determine whether the council would proceed to formal consultation at a later date.

The cost to the City of Wolverhampton for the initial expansion of the first form entry was estimated at £2.6m, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has previously reported.

Council cabinet member for children, young people and education Jacqui Coogan said ensuring that every child in Wolverhampton "has access to a high quality school place is a key priority" for the authority.

She added Colton Hills was one of the best places the council could do this in the city, "with demand for places there already high – indeed the school has already increased its Year 7 intake this year".

The head teacher at the school, Julie Hunter, said: "This proposal is a huge vote of confidence in our students, our staff, and the positive direction we are heading."

The council said the school's gym would be refurbished, toilets and showers remodelled and male and female changing areas extended to accommodate extra pupils.

The school has also applied to the local authority to establish a special educational needs (Send) resource base for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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