£6m for transitional ‘Mini-School’

How the new-build teaching block at Barr’s Hill School will look (Image: Barr’s Hill School)

More than £6 million will be spent revamping a Coventry secondary school with plans including a brand new teaching block dubbed a ‘mini school’ for Year 7 students.

Coventry City Council’s planning department granted approval for a new two-storey seven classroom teaching block at Barr’s Hill School at the end of December.

Named ‘The Bridge’, the new-build will be utilised as a ‘mini school’ for Year 7 pupils to help 11 and 12-year-olds transition smoothly into secondary education.

The Radford Road school will also see the existing science department expanded, underutilised spaces at a second block turned into further classrooms, and a multi-gym facility upgraded.

It is part of plans to help provide more pupil places at ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ Ofsted-rated secondary schools in Coventry.

Barr’s Hill currently provides 655 places for children aged 11-16 plus sixth form provision but is expanding to take in 900 pupils after a five-year expansion.

Headteacher Chris Jupp said: “We are delighted and excited to be embarking on this project.

“The local authority have asked the school to expand slightly our pupil numbers due to our recent successes and the need for more pupil places locally in the coming years.

“The more than £6m investment will give our students some fantastic new facilities including a brand-new bespoke building for ‘The Bridge’ – our mini school just for Year 7 pupils which ensures a smooth transition to secondary school.

“Our students will also be able to use a new grass sports pitch, two additional outdoor PE spaces, a multi-gym, brand new PE changing facilities, a complete refurbishment of all our science labs and new dining facilities.

“These new facilities will be transformational for our students and enable us to develop even further the school’s outstanding academic offer.”

Source: Coventry Live