Leeds Council to increase secondary school spots after 2019 primary increase

Schools may have been forced to close to many children during large parts of the pandemic but the on-going demand for places remains, with Coun Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education front and centre of the proposals.

Coun Pryor explained that pre-Covid the city council's focus was on increased primary school places with 1785 delivered in 2019, these included expansions across the city as well as the delivery of a new school in Burmantofts and Richmond Hill.

These works totalled a £38.9m of investment. However, all those primary school children will also soon require a secondary school place and so with the primary demand levelling off, focus has re-shifted to local secondary schools.

By the end of 2022 the goal is for Leeds City Council to have delivered a further 4560 secondary school places, totalling £100.7m in investment. These places are to be delivered through a mix of both expansions at existing schools and new provisions.

In addition to creating additional places across the city, there are also plans for Wetherby High School to be rebuilt as the existing building is in need of extensive repairs.

Speaking of the planned expansions Coun Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education said: “What the Council has achieved over the past two or three years in terms of school place provision has been quite staggering, particularly when you consider the financial constraints we are operating under.

“Funding from Government to cover the provision of school places is, and always has been, woefully inadequate, meaning we have to draw from other sources to ensure Leeds children have a place at a Leeds school.

He continued: “This is becoming increasingly more difficult but we are constantly looking for new sources of funding and our plans for Wetherby High School reflect this broader approach.”

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