Two new classrooms for nursery-age children are to be opened in a new building at Willow Tree Primary School in Salford.
Urban Vision have applied for planning permission to build a single-storey ‘modular building’ at the north-west of the site, next to the school playing fields on Greenland Street in Langworthy.
Inside the building will be two equally-sized 580sq ft classrooms, with a new 3200sq ft outdoor play area for the nursery children.
The school is planning to move its current 60-place nursery from the main school building into this single-storey new build.
It means the vacated space can be used to house a new intake of 90 reception pupils, up from 60 pupils in previous years.
It’s understood one more staff member will be recruited to help look after the new pupils.
The flat-roofed brick building is only temporary, however: according to plans it will be leased for two years to begin with.
The 3-11 school on Greenland Street currently has 434 pupils on roll. In its last Ofsted inspection in 2011 it was rated ‘Good’.
Councillor John Merry, Assistant Mayor for Children’s Services, told SalfordOnline.com: “This new, two classroom nursery unit will increase reception places at the school from 60 to 90 and give the nursery its own, purpose built accommodation and new outdoor play area.
“It’s part of many extra places we are creating for this coming school year because Salford is becoming so popular with families.”
An influx of families moving to Salford means primary school places are at a premium in Salford with many schools struggling to accommodate requests.
Read: Six months to build 14 classrooms for 420 pupils in Ellenbrook and Swinton
Two primary schools closed and merged in 2010 to form Willow Tree: Tootal Drive and Seedley Primary School.
Countryside Properties have planning permission to build a total of 86 new homes on the former Seedley and Tootal Drive sites.
WATCH: Demolition of Tootal Drive Primary School, Salford
A third primary school in the local area, Langworthy Road, also closed in 2011, replaced by Holy Family RC school.
Pupils and teachers tied school jumpers to the railings in memory of the much-loved community school.
Round the corner Countryside Properties have also been granted permission to build 24 new homes on the site of the Stowell Memorial Primary School, which closed in 1988. They are expected to be completed by spring 2016.
