Salford City Council have taken action to manage the issue of an increasing population and demand for school places as a result of the area’s economic boom.
At a Children's and Young People's Services Briefing last week, a temporary measure of increasing the Year 7 places for two years at All Hallows RC High School was decided.
To support the Local Authority’s secondary pupil place demand need, All Hallows RC high school have agreed to accommodate additional Year 7 places, the briefing heard.
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This would see a temporary increase of 125 to 150 and will be applied across Year 7 for both September 2022 and 2023 intake.
The council decided that in order to achieve this and to allow the increased cohort of pupils move through the school, there will be a need to carry out internal alterations to support general teaching and specialist teaching areas, along with an expansion of the existing dining area.
In addition to supporting the immediate demand, the additional capacity created will also provide the local authority with an option for a more permanent solution if required.
Councillor Jim Cammell, lead member for children and young people’s services, explained that Salford’s economic boom was leading to more families moving into the city.
“Over the last four years our secondary schools have created 467 extra Year 7 places across the city and will add another 172 places for children starting high school this September’s intake,” he said.
“Council forecasts indicate a need for another 490 Year 7 places between 2023 and 2027. The new 750 place Star Academy in Little Hulton, which is being delivered by the government and is expected to open in September 2023, will have an intake of 150 pupils per year and will help meet some of this growth.
“We will continue to work closely with academies and schools to identify ways to provide more places over the next five years.”
