School picked as priority for rebuild (From Epsom Guardian)

Unfit for purpose Croydon school could get multi-million pound rebuild

11:40am Saturday 26th May 2012 in News

School picked as priority for rebuild

Hopes of a multi-million pound redevelopment have been revived at a Croydon school described as 'not fit for purpose', two years after a rebuild project was cancelled.

Archbishop Lanfranc School, in Mitcham Road, was set for a complete rebuild as part of the previous government’s Building Schools for the Future programme, but was denied when the project was scrapped by the Conservative government in July 2010.

Today Education secretary Michael Gove announced 261 schools across the UK, including Archbishop Lanfranc, have been named on a priority list for rebuilding work.

David Clark, headteacher at the Broad Green school, said: "We are excited because whatever we get from the programme will be a huge bonus.

"Clearly we are hoping it we be as we submitted to the BSF, which was for a complete rebuild on an empty part of the school site."

The school is built on a landfill site, which has created foundation problems and concerns over methane gas emissions.

Mr Clark described the school as unfit for purpose.

He said: “The design of the building is not fit for a school in the 21st century. It has very narrow corridors, and staircases, some of the rooms are too small and there is no room to expand.”

He added a new build could allow the school to include a sixth form and additional entry forms.

Details of the amount of money to be invested by the government are yet to be announced but Archbishoip Lanfranc’s funding will be provided through a Private Finance Initiative.

Malcolm Wicks, MP for Croydon North, said: “This is very good news, particularly following the earlier disappointment when the closure of the School Buildings Programme meant that the rebuilding of Lanfranc was abandoned.

“Archbishop Lanfranc School is a real asset to the community.

"It is a comprehensive that faces up to real challenges and also serves as an excellent community centre.

"I can think of no more important project in Croydon than the rebuilding of this school and I hope that it can proceed urgently.”