Westhoughton: St James C of E chosen for rebuilding scheme

This comes with the government this week having announced a list of 239 schools around the UK which they intend include in the Schools Rebuilding Programme.

To the delight of education chiefs in Bolton, including council cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Anne Galloway, Westhoughton’s St James Church of England Primary School, on Hindley Road, has been chosen as one of them.

Cllr Galloway said: “We are delighted that one of our schools, St James C of E primary, has been chosen out of a list of just around 200 schools, to receive funding for substantially improving the buildings.

“We are awaiting the details but it will be most welcomed by the school.”

The school has been using temporary classrooms (Image: Newsquest)

The money will be spent on refurbishing the school with new buildings and facilities that the government says will be energy efficient for future winter resilience and with old facilities replaced by new modern classrooms, sports halls and dining rooms.

St James has long been in need of refurbishment, with many of the children having been taught in temporary classrooms since last November.

The Westhoughton school will join additional 200 in being added to the list to be included in the major rebuilding programme, which aims to replace crumbling classrooms and outdated sports halls.

Bolton West MP Chris Green said: "I'm delighted to see that the government is going to be supporting repair work at St James.

"It obviously needs significant upgrades and I'm looking forward to seeing the plans that the designers come up with."

They come on top of the 161 schools around the country that have already been announced, with work close to be finished on some of the most advanced sites.

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Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan MP said: “Today’s announcement will transform hundreds of schools across the country and ensure they are fit for the future.

“The additional funding, alongside fantastic new facilities, will mean our brilliant teachers can get on with what they do best and inspire the next generation.”

Further schools in Bolton and beyond could be set to follow suit in the near future, with the Department for Education set to open up bidding for another 100 schools to receive rebuilding funding.