Council plans more school places with extra £20.7m

The funding includes £16.5m to build a new primary school in Nuneaton

A council has announced it is giving an extra £20.7m to its education programme over the next financial year to create hundreds of new school places across the county.

Warwickshire County Council said the investment was to ensure the county could meet its "growing demand" for school places and early years provision.

The proposals include £16.5m towards building a new primary school in Nuneaton at Callendar Farm with 420 new primary, early years and special educational needs places.

More than £2.1m is also proposed to expand Shipston High School, increasing its capacity by 150 pupils.

The third project will see £418,000 used for early years schemes at Kenilworth Nursery, Little Learners Day Nursery in Nuneaton, Happy Days Nursery in Southam, and Shipston Pre-School.

The council said these would support the new childcare entitlements being rolled out this year by the government.

According to the local authority, contributions from developers will fund the projects along with money from the council and government.

Councillor Kam Kaur, in charge of education for the authority said it was a "significant investment" to meet growing demand for school places and early years' needs.

"We are particularly pleased to be investing in a new primary school at Callendar Farm, which will provide much-needed capacity in the Nuneaton area," she added.

The two school schemes will be put towards the next full council meeting on 24 September for approval.