Academy to expand and accommodate 300 additional students
Community-focused Academy to Expand and Provide World-Class Education to 300 Additional Students
The White Rose Academies Trust is delighted to announce that Leeds City Council has approved a planning application for expansion plans at Leeds West Academy, enabling the academy to accommodate 300 additional students.
In consultation with the local community, Leeds West Academy submitted proposals to extend its facilities and build additional classrooms, offices, dining facilities and parking.
The academy is already a first-choice school for most young people within the area, and the approval of these plans means that by 2023 the academy will be able to open its doors to an additional 300 students.
As a community-focused organisation, the White Rose Academies Trust have developed these expansion plans by actively engaging with the community. This community work included consultations with local ward councillors, neighbours and parents/guardians in advance of the application submission.
The trust also engaged with 500 homes in the local area through a door-to-door leaflet campaign, encouraging local residents to raise any concerns. This direct approach enabled the academy to further develop the plans and to reassure the local residents that their needs were, and will be continued to be, considered during this process.
“It is important to us that we are always serving our community,” commented Dan Whieldon, Principal of Leeds West Academy. “This is why we have carefully developed these plans, so they have a positive impact on our local community.
“As part of the plans, we will be building a new science lab, six new classrooms, a new office/staff work room, and a dining hall extension. We currently have over 1200 students from Year 7 to 11, and we are excited to welcome more to our academy community.
When asked about these expansion plans Sam Bradley, Trust Business Director, said “We are delighted that Leeds City Council have approved our plans,”
“We take a forward-thinking approach to operations like these, focusing on sustainability, community and environmental impact. Throughout this process, we always considered the short, medium and long term goals of our academy and what our community will need, which is why we will be installing solar panels to support a renewable energy source for the academy, and also installing two electric vehicle charging stations to support the government’s 2030 target for electric vehicles.”
The trust is now undertaking a robust procurement process to find an appropriate construction partner, with plans for work to begin during the autumn term of 2021.
Full details of the plans are publicly available on the Leeds City Council website.
About the White Rose Academies Trust
The White Rose Academies Trust is a local Trust dedicated to raising and fulfilling the ambitions of young people. Each academy throughout Leeds is at the heart of the communities they serve and committed to delivering an outstanding education to every one of its students.
Following a rapid improvement programme across Leeds City Academy, Leeds East Academy and Leeds West Academy, the young people within the Trust are now benefiting from a greatly enhanced education. New leadership, exceptional teaching and cutting-edge facilities equip students with the unique skills and personal confidence to fully meet their aspirations and potential.
The Trust’s members include Leeds City Academy, Leeds East Academy, Leeds West Academy and, most recently, Mill Field Primary Academy, which joined the Trust in December 2020.
The Trust employs over 400 outstanding professionals who are committed to unlocking the potential of the next generation. The White Rose Academies Trust is a member of Luminate Education Group, the largest education provider in Yorkshire.
In 2018, the Trust’s secondary academies were invited to contribute to the Parliamentary Review on Secondary Education, particularly to showcase best practice in school improvement.
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