Expansion plan for city primary

A £1.8 million expansion plan for an Exeter primary school is set to be given the go ahead next week.

The plan is for St Leonard’s C of E Primary School to expand from 420 children to 630 places by September next year.

This would entail the construction of a new single-storey, six classroom teaching block on the school site off Topsham Road.

Devon County Council’s Cabinet meets next Wednesday (8 October) to discuss the project which it is being recommended to approve.

Devon’s Cabinet member for schools, James McInnes, said: “We have already invested £9 million over the last three years on extending schools in Exeter to ensure there is sufficient, high quality accommodation to cope with the growing number of pupils in the city.

“We firmly believe that local children should have the chance to attend their local school.

“Exeter is expanding with hundreds of new homes being built and a rising birth rate.

“We developed a long-term strategy for pupil planning in Exeter in 2011 which has resulted in new schools being built on major housing developments and the expansion of existing schools across the city.

“St Leonard’s is the latest school to benefit from this plan.

“Our forecasts suggest an increased intake at the school in the future. That, combined with significant new house building in the area and the increased birth rate, will mean additional places are required.” 

St Leonard’s headteacher, Jo Evans, said: “The school community is delighted at the Cabinet proposal to fund the next phase of building.

“It will be great to see the Matford Lane site brought back into use as part of our school.

“It’s a huge opportunity and one that will really benefit the families in our area.”

Local county councillor, Andy Hannan, said: “This is good news for this popular school and for the children of St Leonard’s who will directly benefit. 

“School and county council staff have put in a lot of hard work to get this far and are to be congratulated on their achievement.”