Funding For School Improvements Announced

8 April 2010, 05:00

Central Bedfordshire Council has approved funding which will see much needed improvements for some of the area's schools.

The Council’s Executive agreed to release £6.4 million, the majority of which (£5 million) is funding from external sources, for improvements to schools.

This funding will now be put towards the following projects: 

  • Provision of additional pupil places at Etonbury Middle School, Arlesey in response to recent housing developments in the area.
  • The refurbishment of Tithe Farm Lower School, Houghton Regis to provide a 21st Century environment capable of providing accommodation fit to meet the needs of teaching, learning and future community growth.
  • Specialist provision for Autistic Spectrum Disorder at Holmemead Middle School, Biggleswade. This funding will ensure that there is adequate provision at the school to enable the creation of a eight new ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) places which were approved by Executive in December 2009.
  • Alterations to Arnold Middle School, Barton Le Clay which will see development and improvement of accessibility and music provision.
  • Gilbert Inglefield Middle School, Leighton Buzzard is to be provided with new purpose-built practical Food room to enable the school to meet a compulsory entitlement that every 11-14 year old pupil in a maintained school be able to cook a range of simple, nutritious meals from basic ingredients.
  • Parkfields Middle School, Toddington will also receive a purpose built food room.
  • Rolling programme of improvements to school kitchens and dining rooms across 24 schools to increase the take-up of school lunches by improving the quality of the food on offer, to increase seating capacity in dining areas, to improve the dining environment and to reduce queuing time.

Cllr Anita Lewis, Portfolio Holder for Children's Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "These projects create genuine long term solutions to the challenges faced by some schools in Central Bedfordshire and manage the demands of 21st Century education. Funding from external sources has allowed us to do this with minimal cost to Central Bedfordshire residents and shows our commitment to educating, protecting and providing opportunities for children and young people in Central Bedfordshire."