New Classrooms at Harrold Lower

Mayor Dave Hodgson visited Harrold Lower School recently to see the brand new permanent classrooms which have been constructed as part of the programme to abolish temporary classrooms across all Bedford Borough schools.

Earlier this year, Bedford Borough Council confirmed it will invest more than £48 million in schools over the next three years. The School Capital Investment Plan set out the Council's ambition to:

• replace temporary classrooms and mobiles with permanent buildings
• get rid of makeshift temporary classrooms
• ensure that we have enough school places for the future
• make sure our school buildings are fit to learn in.

Cllr Henry Vann, Portfolio Holder for Education, said: "This is an important stage in our ambitious programme to get rid of the makeshift temporary classrooms of the past and deliver sufficient, high-quality spaces for children and young people to learn in.

"Bedford is one of the best places in the country to go to lower or primary school with 90% of our schools overall ranked as good or outstanding by Ofsted. Our teachers, pupils and the communities need buildings that are fit to learn and teach in and this is what we are delivering."

Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "We are delighted to see the first permanent classrooms in place at one of our local schools. This major programme of improvements for local schools is delivering buildings and facilities fit for current and future generations of students. The programme is a key feature of our commitment to support schools to continue to drive up standards on behalf of all local children and young people."

Bedford Borough Council has already invested heavily to ensure the creation of excellent teaching and learning space. This has included the construction and opening of three new primary schools, each with room for 420 pupils, and the expansion and upgrading of many others. The Council invested £26 million in the last financial year alone in improving and maintaining school facilities.