Plans for new wooden classrooms at Hartlepool's Jesmond Gardens Primary School

The proposals have been submitted by staff at Jesmond Gardens Primary School to build the classrooms separate to the main building of the school.

The two rooms would be built on grassed areas which are part of the school site and will be made of cedar wood.

The application submitted on behalf of the school describing the plans said they would help with the teaching of students.

It said: “The building of wooden classrooms [is] to support the teaching and learning experience of children.

“These classrooms are for existing school numbers with no addition to capacity.”

Plans added the proposed structures will have ramped access to ensure that wheelchairs, prams and others will have access to the site and they building will also be ‘easily accessible’ from the school.

The front of the two classrooms would both measure 7metres across, 2.65metres tall and 4.25metres deep.

The classrooms will provide further development to the school, after last year plans to build a new nursery school for two and three-year-olds at the site was given the green light.

The council planning department said the move ‘met an identified need for early years provision’.

A decision is expected to be made by the council on the plans for the two wooden classrooms in September.

The plans to expand the school come after it received a Good rating by Ofsted inspectors earlier this year.

The inspection team recognised the leadership of the school under headteacher Philip Pritchard, who took over in January 2018, and the ambition of all leaders, staff, trustees, and governors to provide its children with the best possible education and opportunities for personal development.

The Ofsted visit in May, was the first short inspection carried out since the school, formerly called Jesmond Gardens Community School, was judged to be Good in November 2014.

Ofsted said lessons have a ‘purposeful learning climate’ and relationships between staff and pupils and among pupils are ‘very positive’.

It added staff morale is high and they support the developments in school.