A CITY school has been awarded two sets of funding to help expand the student capacity and help improve the facilities.
Bishop Perowne CE College, which was awarded the status of ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2018, has received £2.5m from Worcestershire County Council, and an additional £250,000 from the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund.
The local authority investment was granted to help increase the number of school places that are available, and the money will mean Bishop Perowne can increase its student intake from 210 to 240 students.
To maximise the investment and enable the establishment to accommodate the additional students, Bishop Perowne has appointed Worcester architects Herlig Marles, which has a wealth of experience in the education sector having worked with local authorities and independent academies.
The plans will see six new classrooms created from minor expansions, and a significant amount of investment will be used to construct a new open plan kitchen and dining room area. This will create a fresh communal area which will benefit every pupil. Work will commence in spring 2021 and is set for completion by spring 2022.
The Government’s Condition Improvement Fund, which helps schools make vital improvements, will be used to refurbish the windows in the school’s science block and reroof the reception area, which currently leaks in wet weather.
Mark Pollard, headteacher at Bishop Perowne CE College, said: “With the substantial progress and successes the school has seen in the last few years, our intake has been increasing year-on-year and we are delighted we will be able to welcome even more students. The funding means we can update and increase our facilities to provide a modern and well-equipped learning environment.”
Coun Marcus Hart, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said: “It’s vitally important that we continue to work hard to provide additional places in schools for the rising number of students across the county. To this end we have been investing in several much-needed high school expansion projects within our patch, and we are delighted to be able to work with and provide just over £2.5m in funding for Bishop Perowne to help us address this need.
“The way the school is planning on making the changes, which will eventually accommodate 150 more students across years 7 to 11, is ingenious as it builds upon what is already in place while creating new areas that will benefit the whole school. We are very excited to see this development progress and we look forward to the college welcoming the first intake of new students in September 2021, wishing them every success.”
