Cumberland Council has started construction work on two schools in Cumbria, that are expanding their sixth form facilities.
The project was initiated by Cumbria County Council, and now Cumberland Council is responsible for the improvement works with an investment of nearly £1million.
New 6th form facilities are being created for Whitehaven’s Mayfield School and Carlisle’s James Rennie School, allowing Mayfield to increase from 197 to 230 places and James Rennie to increase from 159 to 195.
The new facilities are being created away from the existing schools. Mayfield’s new 6th form will occupy the former St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Cockermouth, while in Carlisle St Edmund’s Church on Orton Road will be given new purpose meeting the needs of young people with special educational needs.
Both sites will be leased from the Diocese of Lancaster by Cumberland Council.
With increasing demand for special school places, the expansions create much needed additional capacity at both schools while providing fantastic new facilities which will help young people reaching the end of their time at school develop and prepare for adult life.
Works have started for both schools, with St Edmund’s scheduled for opening after the October half term holidays and St Joseph’s to open in the new school term, in September. As an interim measure while St Edmund’s is being finalised is to install two temporary classrooms on the James Rennie site to allow more pupils to attend as soon as possible.
Cumberland Council are working with Story Contracting Limited at St Edmund’s, Carlisle and Roland Hill Limited at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School.
Councillor Elaine Lynch, Cumberland Council’s Executive Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning and Development, said:
“I am delighted that we are investing in two new sixth form facilities. The extra space will provide a better learning environment for the students.
“I would like to thank all parties involved and are grateful for their contributions and look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.”
Samantha Kidd, Headteacher of Mayfield School, said:
“This is such an exciting opportunity for our young people. The new school site opens a wealth of links with local businesses and schools and has been extensively refurbished to accommodate the needs of our young people. The community has been overwhelmingly supportive. The council has been extremely supportive for us in this new venture”