Birkwood Primary: £2.5m expansion plans to provide 140 spaces at Barnsley school

Birkwood Primary in Cudworth, which is rated outstanding by Ofsted, will be able to accept 140 extra pupils in a £2.5m expansion plan.

Following the adoption of Barnsley’s Local plan in 2019, more school places are needed to support demand from the projected housing growth in the area.

More than 870 new homes are set to be built in Cudworth in the next 11 years, equating to a 17 per cent increase in dwellings for the area.

A report to BMBC’s cabinet states that housing developers building in Cudworth have entered into a legal agreements to contribute cash towards education provision.

Barratt Homes, who are currently building almost 280 homes at Carrs Lane, contributed £925,000 towards primary school provision, specifically at Birkwood Primary.

The government will fund £1.51m through a , Basic Need Capital Grant, and developer contributions, known as Section 106 funding, will contribute a total of £990,000, according to a cabinet report.

Under the plans, to be presented to cabinet on March 23, 20 additional places per year group, will be created – 140 additional places overall.

As part of the plans, Cudworth Family Centre will be permanently moved to the Cudworth IKIC building, adjacent to Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre, to make space for additional classrooms.

If approved, the work will take place over two years, with the main work taking place during the summer holidays to avoid disruption.

Phase one will move the Cudworth Family Centre to the Cudworth IKIC building, and phase two will see the school nursery moved into the former Family Centre area.

Internal work to create two new reception classrooms should be complete by September 2022.

Phase three, which is set to take place between January and September 2023 and will include three new classroom extensions, a new pupil cloakroom, and toilets.

There will also be extensions to the school hall and kitchen and a new multi-use game area to provide all-year-round sports facilities.

Councillor Trevor Cave, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services, said: “The proposed extension of Birkwood Primary School will mean we are prepared for more families moving to Cudworth.

“I’m pleased that this proposal puts us in a great position for school places for the coming years.”