Temporary school planned for outskirts of Preston might never be built

A temporary school planned for the outskirts of Preston might never be constructed.

Education bosses had intended to create the makeshift facility on a site off Whittingham Lane, in Whittingham, where a brand new – permanent – primary school is ultimately to be built.

The stop-gap establishment – which was due to open this September – had been proposed to provide the additional pupil places that are known to be needed 12 months before the full-scale school will be ready.

However, the Loca Democracy Reporting Service understands that a revised plan to utilise surplus space within existing schools in the city may mean the temporary one is not required.   A final decision is expected by early summer when the latest pupil number forecasts for Preston are published.

Lancashire County Council has also revealed that the permanent, 420-place facility – which includes a 16-place special needs unit – will admit “multiple” age groups in its first year of operation, not just the reception-age children that had previously been expected.

The authority gave the green light to the funding needed for the new-build – on Henry Littler Way – in September last year, with an opening date set for September 2027.

But as the LDRS first revealed shortly before that decision, projected demand for reception places a year earlier than that point led the authority to draw up contingency plans for a temporary school on the same plot.

The proposal was to install two temporary classrooms and other necessary accommodation on one part of the land, allowing the new school to be developed on the surrounding site.

However, cabinet members were told at a meeting last month that consideration was now being given to the use of unfilled places in the ‘Preston East’ school planning area to cover the shortfall in space for four-year-olds in the ‘Preston Rural’ and Goosnargh and Grimsargh areas during the 2026/27 academic year.

The county council has since confirmed to the LDRS that the temporary school may not be required if that plan comes to fruition.  Several suitable schools with surplus places have been identified, although none has yet been named by the authority.

A report presented to the cabinet gathering stated that the use of existing school space would “promote value for money” and enable those schools with spare places to “remain financially viable”.

The authority has not yet determined which year groups – other than reception – will be filled in the new Whittingham school when it first opens.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that that decision, too, is likely to come once the next set of pupil number projections are made in the summer – although cabinet members were told last month that there was “demand and rising pressures in Key Stage 2”, which relates to years 3-6, covering the 7-11-year-old age range.

Previously, it had been expected only two reception classes – of 30 pupils each – would be admitted in September 2027 and every year thereafter, eventually taking the school to its 420 capacity over a seven-year period.

The new-build school still requires planning permission after the county council’s independent, cross-party development control committee deferred their decision on the application amid safety concerns over the design of a drop-off and pick-up point for children arriving and leaving by car.  A reworked plan is expected to be brought back to the committee at a later date.

Land on Henry Littler Way has been reserved for the school, at the entrance to a 900-home estate built on part of the site formerly occupied by Whittingham Hospital.

The permanent facility had originally been due to open in September 2026, but changes to the scope of the project pushed that date back a year.