Forge Valley School gets council funding for temporary extension

[SheffieldForum]

Forge Valley School is set to undergo temporary expansion to accommodate an additional 30 pupils starting Year 7 in September. This decision comes in response to a significant increase in the number of Year 7 students in the city, attributed to population growth and new housing developments.

 

Sheffield City Council's finance committee has approved a budget of up to £550,000 for the expansion. The funds will be allocated to Tapton School Academy Trust, which manages Forge Valley School.

 

A report presented to the committee described 2024 as a "bulge year" for Year 7 enrollments. The expansion will help the council meet its legal obligation under the Education Act 1996 to ensure sufficient school places for all pupils.

 

The preferred expansion plan involves reconfiguring the school's former City Learning Centre (CLC) building. The IT classrooms currently housed in the CLC will be relocated to the main building, and the CLC will be repurposed as the sixth form centre. Additionally, modifications on the first floor of the main building may be necessary to convert staff and administration areas, including staff toilets, into four new classrooms.

 

The committee emphasized that the work should be completed in time for the new school year in September. According to the terms of the grant, the allocated funds must be used exclusively by the academy trust for the agreed expansion project.