Government to decide if Outwood Academy City Fields school can expand by 300 places

The government will have the final say on whether or not a Wakefield secondary can expand by 300 places.
By David Spereall, Local Democracy Reporter
Published 18th Jul 2020, 11:45 BST
The Government will have the final say on whether the school in Wakefield can expand.The Government will have the final say on whether the school in Wakefield can expand.
The Government will have the final say on whether the school in Wakefield can expand.

Senior councillors have given their blessing to a plan to accommodate more pupils at Outwood Academy City Fields, in Eastmoor, from 2022.

If it goes ahead, an extra 60 students a year will be educated at the site over five years and the school buildings will be refurbished to create more space.

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But the move, which is designed to address a serious shortage of school places in Wakefield, is subject to approval from the Department of Education (DfE).

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, Councillor Margaret Isherwood said the expansion would be “sufficient” to meet growing demand.

Coun Isherwood, who is Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “We’ve looked at where the need (for school places) is generally and we’ve identified Outwood Academy City Fields.

“It’s going to hopefully reduce the number of people travelling longer distances to school.”

Around £7m of public money has been set aside for the project.

If it goes ahead, the school will be able to accommodate around 1,050 pupils, compared to its current cohort of 750.

Related topics:GovernmentWakefieldDepartment of Education