An expanding school plans to build a new six-classroom block as increases in pupil numbers mean teachers are currently sharing rooms.
Numbers of students at Unsworth Academy on Parr Lane have increased since it opened in 2017, with its leadership saying it has become ‘the school of choice’ in its catchment area of central Bury, Radcliffe and Salford due to its facilities and positive Ofsted results.
The school was built after the demolition of the former Castlebrook High School on the same site.
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A planning application was lodged this week with Bury Council for a new school building with six classrooms.
In supporting documents for the plans, the school, said: “In response to the pressing need as a result of increasing pupil roll, capacity challenges within the existing main school building and new teacher recruitment there is a need for a new separate classroom building which can accommodate this increased demand and ensure that the quality of the educational experience provided remains at a high level.
“To meet demand from pupil number increases, four teachers were appointed in September 2021 who are currently sharing classrooms or teaching in less than satisfactory environments outside of the main school,”
Unsworth is an academy within the Shaw Education Trust, who manage 25 academies.
The school currently has 873 pupils out of a capacity of 935 with more than 1,000 students expected to attend by September 2023.
The school is currently a three-storey L-shaped building with three new games areas and a car park and is close to Unsworth Cricket and Tennis Club.
The new building will be a long, low single-storey block with large windows and six classrooms.
The scheme also includes new sporting facilities in the form of shot put and long jump areas and a new play and socialising space.
The school said the plans for the new building would not result in the loss of car parking spaces at the site but seven disabled sports would be relocated.
Planners at Bury Council will deliberate on the plans in the coming weeks.
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