Councillors in Preston have given the green light to ambitious plans designed to significantly boost school capacity across the city. The strategy, approved at a recent cabinet meeting, involves expanding existing educational institutions and advancing new provisions for both primary and secondary age groups. This decisive action is a direct response to the pressing need generated by ongoing housing developments and consistently high birth rates within the Preston area.
Primary School Provision and New Build
A key element of the approved plans includes the allocation of funding for a brand-new primary school. This facility is slated to open in September 2025 on the site of the former Whittingham Hospital, pending the successful granting of necessary planning permissions. The new school has been designed with inclusivity at its core, featuring dedicated provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To immediately address demand, it will open its doors to multiple year groups, catering to pupils across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 from the outset.
Managing Immediate Demand
In the interim period before the new school's completion, the council has outlined a pragmatic approach to manage the intake of reception pupils starting in 2026. This will involve utilising surplus places available in neighbouring primary planning areas, with a particular focus on the Preston East and Preston West districts. This measure ensures no child is left without a local school place during the construction phase.
Expanding Secondary Education Capacity
The plans also comprehensively address the need for additional secondary school places. From September 2026, several existing schools will undergo expansion to create more capacity. Ashton Community Science College and Moor Park High School are each set to increase their intake by creating 30 additional places annually. Furthermore, Fulwood Academy has been identified as having the potential for enlargement, providing another avenue for growth.
Concurrently, work continues on the longer-term project of establishing an entirely new secondary school for the city. The council is actively engaged in the process of identifying a suitable site, with the former Tulketh High School location and Maxy Lane Farm both still under serious consideration. Officials have confirmed that the construction of a new school will proceed once there is demonstrably sufficient, sustained demand to justify it. The entire design and build process for such a project is estimated to take a minimum of three years from inception to completion.
Council Commitment and Funding
Councillor Matthew Salter, cabinet member for education and skills, emphasised the council's dedication to local families. He stated: "We are committed to making sure every child in Preston can access the best possible education close to home. These expansions will tackle the immediate pressures on school places while supporting high-quality pre-existing schools and delivering value for money, as places will be provided within existing accommodation, with some minor refurbishment and building work to ensure that requirements are met."
He added: "Alongside this, we will continue due diligence on a new school to meet demand in the future, when sufficient need arises." The substantial investment required for these projects will be resourced through the council's own Basic Need and Higher Needs budgets. Additional financial contributions are also anticipated from housing developers involved in local projects and potentially from the Department for Education.
This multi-faceted strategy is designed with a clear dual purpose: to guarantee that every child in Preston has access to a suitable school place and to support the ongoing drive for continuous improvement in educational standards throughout the city.
