Bingley Grammar School's plan to build 18-classroom block

The changes at Bingley Grammar, which also include a new staff car park and a new ball games area, follow on from earlier plans that were approved in August.

Known as phase three, the latest plans are designed to provide the school with much-needed extra space and to replace some older buildings on site.

The school caters for 1,900 pupils aged 11 to 18 and, due to the need for additional secondary school places, has taken an extra 30 pupils each academic year since 2019.

In a design and access statement accompanying the plans, it states: “Interim measures have been put into place to accommodate these additional numbers, however this has put additional pressure on the school and this scheme will address the issue of ageing buildings on the site which have come to the end of their lifespan and provide some much-needed additional space.”

Bingley Grammar School expansion plans (Image: Bradford Council)

It adds: “The school requires extra accommodation to replace teaching space that is to be removed from the site as part of this proposal and provide additional space for the increased numbers of pupils that have been admitted over the past four academic years and the additional 30 pupils to be admitted in September 2023.”

The existing 14 modular classrooms, which the school wants to remove as part of the latest plans, are on the site of the planned new ball games area.

The plans, which have been submitted by Bradford Council, follow the Council agreeing in 2021 to spend £6.1m on increasing capacity at Bingley Grammar School by 150 pupils.

An image showing plans for a new classroom block at Bingley Grammar School (Image: Bradford Council)

A spokesperson for the Council said: “In 2021, a proposal for a programme of works at Bingley Grammar School was presented to Bradford Council Executive Committee.

“In order to meet our statutory duties as a Local Authority in relation to the sufficiency of both mainstream and specialist places, and address key areas of pressure, the Council Executive Committee approved the proposed works.

“This proposal included the development of a 24 place Local Authority Led Resourced Provision for secondary aged children with communication and Interaction Needs, including Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and expansion works to increase the overall mainstream capacity of the school by up to 150 places.”

They added that as well as the £6.1m of basic needs capital grant approved by the Council’s executive, the school’s governing body also agreed to make a financial contribution towards the scheme.