Six schools to be rebuilt across Telford & Wrekin

Six schools are to be bulldozed and rebuilt under £200 million plans which will transform education across Telford & Wrekin.

One of the schools will be Shropshire's only Catholic comprehensive, the Blessed Robert Johnson College in Wellington.

Telford & Wrekin Council's Labour rulers last night approved the plans which would see BRJ incorporated into a new Christian faith academy in Priorslee.

Councillor Paul Watling, cabinet member for children, young people and families at Telford & Wrekin Council, said the changes would bring about 'a huge difference' to schooling across the borough.

Previous plans put forward by the Conservatives when they were in control up until May meant Wrockwardine Wood Arts College was going to be re-built in Priorslee.

But under new proposals, an academy is to be built adjacent to Oakengates Leisure Centre and incorporate the arts college and the Sutherland Business and Enterprise College, currently in Trench.

A name for the new building has yet to be decided, but it could be called the Oakengates Co-operative Academy.

The site in Priorslee would become home to a 1,050-place Joint Christian Faith Academy which will house pupils from the Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College.

A third academy would be built in Stirchley with The Lord Silkin School, Grange Park Primary School and a sixth form being housed on the same site.

Finally, a new school with 1,200 places will be built on the vacated BRJ site and pupils from the Charlton School in Wellington will be moved to the new building.

Cash for the scheme is coming from the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme.

Councillor Watling said: "The new proposals will achieve better value for money from the Building Schools for the Future programme while continuing to create high quality learning environments for our young people as well as community facilities for all."