March 2, 2022 6.00 am This story is over 39 months old

Two new academies will be built in North East Lincolnshire

Almost 1,000 new school places for pupils
Would Lincolnshire schools benefit from being academies? | Photo: Adobe Stock

Nearly 1,000 new school places will be created to meet the growing numbers of pupils in North East Lincolnshire.

Two new primary schools will be built under proposed council plans, while several other schools will significantly expand.

Waltham and Scartho will each require a 210 space primary school thanks to new housing developments which have boosted the villages’ population.

These schools are both set to be academies, built by North East Lincolnshire Council.

If the plan is approved at cabinet next week, the council will appoint providers to run them.

A total of 980 proposed spaces have been identified across the borough.

The demand for pupil spaces will be most acute in Cleethorpes, where there is predicted to be a shortfall of 400 spaces.

Cleethorpes Academy will be expanded to hold another 150 pupils.

Another 150 of the required spaces will likely be met through a recently-approved extension to Beacon Academy when it is rebuilt under a government scheme.

Space for a further 245 pupils will need to be created across Laceby and New Waltham schools.

Laceby Stanford School and New Waltham Primary Academy are set to provide most of these, with Enfield Primary Academy also having a small increase.

“The local increase in the birth rate has resulted in a significant increase in pupil numbers which are now starting to impact upon secondary provision. The Cleethorpes area of the town is identified as having a shortfall of 400 places,” the report says.

“There are also emerging pressures within specific primary planning areas (Laceby village, New Waltham, Scartho and Waltham village) which require new pupil places to meet the demand which has been further impacted by new housing developments, which in turn will further impact upon secondary provision.”

The report warns that without action, the local authority could find itself without enough suitable school spaces.

Other schools in the areas which are under pressure have also been consulted.

Beacon Academy was named on a list of schools which would get government cash to be rebuilt last year.

The council is asking that instead of 600 pupils, it is rebuilt to cater for a total of 750.

Between £3million and £3.5million will be provided by the Department of Education for the rebuild, with the council set to ask for the full amount.