A massive £33 million is to be invested in expanding and upgrading local schools, after the council’s Cabinet meeting on January 14 agreed proposals for the Schools of Choice capital programme.

In the north of the borough, Burlington Danes Academy is receiving £4.5 million to create a brand new primary school.

Lady Margaret, one of the borough’s most over-subscribed secondary schools, will receive £6 million to expand by an additional class per year, enabling more local parents to secure a place in their top choice school.

Other secondary schools will benefit from major refurbishments, including:

The London Oratory - £2.4 million to upgrade classroom

West London Free school - £299,309 to create a roof-top playground at its new Palingswick site

Fulham Cross - £184,000 to improve ICT facilities and install solar panels

Burlington Danes - £117,375 to improve science facilities

Fulham College Boys’ school - £60,000 for new lighting to improve its carbon footprint

Hammersmith and Fulham Council says the number of primary-age children across London is rising rapidly and extra places are badly needed to cater for future demand.

As well as the millions going to Burlington Danes' new primary, which it hopes to open in September 14, neighbouring ARK Bentworth primary, one of the borough’s new free schools, will get £500,000 to expand.

There are major expansion plans in the programme for St Stephen’s and Pope John primaries, who will get £5.4 million and £4.5 million respectively to expand the number of places they provide.

Other primary schools benefiting from major refurbishments are

• Wormholt Park (£500,000)
• Good Shepherd (£328,000)
• Fulham (£176,000)
• John Betts (£105,000)
• St John’s Walham Green (£100,000)
• Addison (£77,000)
• Brackenbury (£40,000)

There is £7,770,000 more for smaller improvements to the classrooms, toilets and other building and facilities in 38 more schools across the borough. Jack Tizard special school is also getting £440,000 to develop food technology and sensory areas and upgrade specialist lifts.

" Standards in our schools have been rising dramatically over recent years making them more popular than ever," says Cllr Helen Binmore, cabinet member for children’s services. " Combined with a growing local population, this means we need more places in popular schools to make sure as many parents as possible get their children into their schools of choice."

Many primary schools in the borough have already expanded to cater for rising demand for places and 73% of local children secured a place in their preferred school last September, compared to 70% the year before.

More local children than ever before are now attending local state schools rather than going outside the borough or to private schools.

January 17, 2013