Coast schools handed a £1m windfall for works

Montgomery High School in Bispham, and Hambleton Primary Academy, are two of five establishments in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre to benefit from a £44m pot of cash from the Department for Education.

The All Hallow’s Road school is expecting a windfall in the region of £400,000 which will fund a new boiler and associated projects.

Principal Tony Nicholson is pleased the school will be able to carry out the works without taking money away from the classroom.

He said: “We are all delighted the Department for Education has granted Montgomery a significant capital sum of approximately £400,000, for us to replace the school boilers and system control equipment, without impacting on funds to improve students outcomes.

“Across our family of schools within the Fylde Coast Academy Trust (FCAT) we are constantly seeking external funds to assist our development plans to replace dated and inefficient capital equipment and mechanical plant.”

In Wyre, Hambleton Primary Academy, also part of FCAT, has been awarded around half a million pounds for a new boiler and the replacement of roofing, doors and windows.

Some 108 academies and sixth-form colleges across the North West will be able to carry out work on their buildings thanks to the cash, announced by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan. The £44.1m will go towards building improvements and school expansion projects, allowing schools to upgrade facilities and create extra places where this is most needed.

Other Blackpool schools to benefit are Roseacre Primary Academy in Stoneycroft Avenue, South Shore, where fire safety works will be carried out.

Funding has also been made available to Park Community Academy in Whitegate Drive where a new teaching block will be built, alongside roof replacement works.

They will also be raising the roof at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Academy in St Annes Road, South Shore.

Headteacher Des Kennedy said: “It’s not a massive project.

“It’s just a new roof we’ll be having installed.

“The current flat roof is 20 years old and we’re very happy it is going to be replaced.

“We’ve not yet heard exactly how much money we’re going to be awarded but we are very happy the work will be able to go ahead.”

The funding for all the North West Projects comes from the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for 2016 – 17.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said:“Every child should be taught in surroundings which allow them to fulfil their potential, and we have made significant investments in school buildings to ensure this happens.

“The latest funding from the Condition Improvement Fund will help us to build on our progress, so that even more pupils and teachers have access to safe, high-quality classrooms.”