School place shortage: Plan to accommodate 300 more pupils at Outwood Academy City Fields

Around 300 extra school places and an entire new building could be created at one of Wakefield's secondaries.
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Outwood Academy City Fields, formerly known as Wakefield City Academy, could cater for more than 1,000 children by September 2022, if plans are approved next week.

Education chiefs are trying to plan for growing numbers of children in the district, with the local population as a whole rising faster than at any time since the 1990s.

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Increasing school places in the western part of the area has been identified as a priority by the local council.

A growing population is putting pressure on school places.A growing population is putting pressure on school places.
A growing population is putting pressure on school places.

A report going before a public meeting next week said forecasts indicate a "shortage of secondary school places" in Wakefield.

It added: "It is proposed to increase (admission numbers) at Outwood Academy City Fields from 150 to 210 (per year) permanently from September 2022 and expand the school buildings to accommodate the additional pupils.

"This will generate an additional 300 secondary school places, taking the school from a capacity of 750 up to 1050."

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The report said the plans would involved demolishing a caretaker's bungalow on site to create more space for car parking.

Refurbishment would also allow the school's dining hall and kitchen to be made bigger and a new classroom block is likely to be built.

The council said it had considered trying to expand Cathedral Academy and Horbury Academy but decided to increase places at City Fields given the "levels and locations" of new houses being built in the area.

The report added: "The school place pressure needs to be addressed. If the (expansion) of Outwood Academy City Fields is not progressed, another option will need to be explored in depth but it is highly unlikely that the places could be provided within the required timescales and budget."

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Wakefield Council's Cabinet is expected to sign the plan off at a meeting next Tuesday.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

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