A SECONDARY school is set for a major expansion in order to take in 150 more pupils.

Lord Williams’s School in Thame will see a range of refurbishing works take place, with the school hoping to offer 12 forms of entry rather than 11 from September of next year.

The school is set to get a new English block and a ‘state-of-the-art accessible ICT suite’ as part of works taking place in both the upper and lower sections of the school.

The English suite in Oxford Road will be the sole new building, with other works set to be refurbishments.

Costs of the work are not currently fixed.

See also: Pupil litter pick to fund Back to the Future leaving do

Stephen Brown, head of English at Lord Williams’s School, said: “Staff in the English faculty are hugely looking forward to the difference a new building will make to everyone’s experience of teaching and learning, and to the positive outcomes this will bring for students as a result.”

The increase from 11 to 12 forms of entry will allow for 150 additional pupils.

The school has worked with architects GSSArchitecture and Oxfordshire County Council on the project, with the proposed work part of the council’s plan to ensure enough secondary places are available to meet future demand.

The project will be submitted for final approval as part of the county council’s capital governance process once tenders have been returned in the autumn.

Read more: Hearing into rejected Lidl store to take place this month

In a statement, GSSArchitecture said: “These planned improvements have been designed to the highest environmental standards, incorporating sustainable technology such as air source heating and solar cells to generate electricity.

“As part of GSSArchitecture’s commitment to health and wellbeing, a dedicated internal working group has been researching and incorporating the latest health and wellbeing design standards into their designs.

“This focused research has led GSS to place a strong emphasis on the inclusion of high-quality, attractive soft and hard landscaping, with new trees being planted and outdoor learning areas taking full advantage of the green space available to the school.

“The creation of outdoor learning environments can provide positive health benefits, both physically and mentally, to children and is therefore an important aspect of educational estates moving forward.”

Earlier this month, the Oxford Mail revealed there were nearly 2,000 primary school places vacant across Oxfordshire.

A falling birth rate in the county is seen as a major factor in that number, however a spokesperson for the county council said not all areas were affected equally, as where there is significant housing development, pupil numbers are still rising.

The spokesperson said the council is in contact with any schools which could have a ‘sustainability issue’ after Culham Parochial CE Primary School near Abingdon merged with Clifton Hampden CE Primary School last year.

Lord Williams’s School was founded in 1559.