Sheffield schools set for expansion and repairs with cash approved
All the projects have been funded by the Department for Education
Budgets have been approved for work on several Sheffield schools, including new roofs and windows and expansions in size to take more pupils.
King Ecgbert School in Totley Brook Road, Dore, is using £1,404,000 to make a temporary increase in pupil numbers from 2026/27 to 2028/29.
A meeting of Sheffield City Council’s finance and performance policy committee approved the spending to help ease the pressure on places in the city because of birth rate changes.
All the projects detailed here have been funded by the Department for Education.
Mercia Learning Trust has agreed that the school can provide an extra 18 Y7 places, taking its total up to 258.
The sixth form common room will be repurposed to create an additional dining area for Y7–11 students.
The school will also build a new, stand-alone sixth form common room block. This will provide flexible, multi-purpose dining, social and independent study space.
A report to the committee said that there are potential ground condition risks at the site. In order to avoid delays and cost escalation, design and build contracts for the work will be awarded in two stages.
The report added: “The temporary secondary expansion at King Ecgbert School will contribute towards achieving our secondary sufficiency duty by providing a more localised provision and helping to meet increasing demand arising from population growth.”
A rising demand for places in Sheffield for children unable to attend mainstream school due to medical needs is driving a £121,000 expansion at Chapel House in Sevenairs Road, Beighton.
The medical needs provision is provided by the Nexus Trust as part of the Kingfisher Academy.
The funding will be used to renovate an additional adjacent building. Chapel House will expand its capacity by up to 39 additional pupils and create the specialist teaching spaces needed to meet a rising demand.
A report to the committee said this plan is more cost-effective than alternative placements. It will also reduce additional transport for pupils to attend schools out of the catchment area.
The project is set to be complete by the end of August.
Councillors agreed to £99,400 for investigations into replacement roof options at Westways Primary School in Mona Avenue, Crookes.
A condition survey in 2024 showed that the roof needs work.
Another £241,900 was agreed to assess costs and options for the replacement of windows at Westways and at Carterknowle Junior School on Carterknowle Road.
A new contractor is set to take over work on Halfway Nursery Infant School on Station Road after the original firm went into administration.
A budget of £545,000 was agreed to finish the replacement of windows and doors at the school and carry out remedial works to windows already installed.
A report to the committee said: “Originally the windows and doors at the school had been prioritised for renewal due to the severity of defects recorded.
“This scheme started summer 2024 but with only 50% of the windows replaced and all the doors still to replace, the original contractor went into administration.
“There is an opportunity to add the remaining works into a contract with a company with a proven track record of delivering school window and door replacement schemes.
“This route is considered to be the quickest route to get the works at the school completed.”
The contract has been awarded to William Birch. The work should be completed by the end of August.