School places in Wickford are set to expand rapidly in a bid to keep up with the explosion in house building in the town.
The impact will be felt most on primary education and as a result one of Wickford's newest primary schools has been earmarked for double its original intake by next year.
The news comes as 160 new homes are planned for the Wick Estate, with councillors set to consider the scheme in October.
Next month a new school, called Abacus Primary, opens up on the Wick estate providing more than 200 new places.
But those places will not be enough to meet demand and the massive expansion in primary places will happen at Oakfield Primary school in Scott Drive.
It only opened about three years ago to cater for 210 places but now it has 330 pupils on its role and will take on a total of 420 pupils under the expansion plans for seven new classrooms to add to the original seven.
Education bosses have also been in discussion with heads at the town's two secondary schools, Bromfords and Beauchamps, on plans to expand places there too.
Published Tuesday August 13, 2002
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