New Preston primary school doubles in size before it is built, as exising facilities also boost their pupil numbers

The facility, which will be constructed on the former Whittingham Hospital site, will now have space for 420 children, rather than the 210 originally planned.

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet gave the go-ahead to the change, which will be achieved by the school having a two-form entry when it opens in September 2025, instead of just one. Expansions of an existing city primary and a secondary school in Longridge were also approved.

A report presented to members noted that the previous blueprint for the Whittingham site – on which a total of 900 homes have or are also being built - “would not be sufficient to address the projected shortfall of places” in the primary school planning areas of Goosnargh and Grimsargh, and Longridge. The locations have all witnessed an increase in new housing and an uptick in the birth rate.

A public consultation into the proposed establishment - which, under government rules, will be a free school academy - will run from 12th June until 9th July.

Meanwhile, the green light was given to the expansion of Cottam Primary School, which will also become a two-form entry facility - admitting 60 pupils per year from this September. That means its capacity will eventually rise to 420 as well.

The decision follows a public consultation earlier this year, in which 26 out of 58 respondents supported the proposal, but 32 did not. Concerns highlighted included the impact on traffic in the vicinity of the Haydocks Lane site and claims that the increase in the rollcall of pupils could harm educational standards.

Education bosses said in response to the issues raised that parking arrangements at the school would be “reviewed” and traffic management options had been discussed. They added that Cottam Primary was rated as “good” by Ofsted and that rules on class sizes meant that expanding by a full form would be easier to manage than a smaller additional intake of pupils.

The extra youngsters to be admitted at the start of the 2023/24 academic year will be accommodated in existing facilities, with new buildings required to be ready 12 months later as the tally of additional children grows.

Approval was also granted for the 23-place expansion of St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic High School in Longridge from September. An extra four classrooms and new play area will be built on the Chapel Hill site, with the project to be delivered through the Diocese of Salford under a grant agreement between the county council, the school governing body and diocesan trustees.

Cabinet member for education and skills Jayne Rear said that it was important to bring forward proposals for new school places “in order to meet demand” from within communities.

The costs of each of the approved projects were discussed in a private part of the meeting, but the schemes will be partially funded by contributions from developers that have built homes in those areas where new places are now needed.

The county council is still considering responses to consultations to create another primary school and a secondary facility elsewhere in Preston - the former on land at Cottam Hall, off Merry Trees Lane, behind the Ancient Oak pub, and the latter on the derelict Tulketh High School site on Tag Lane in Ingol.

As the Post previously revealed, the secondary proposal, in particular, has been the subject of some criticism from consultation respondents and councillors representing North West Preston.