Work has started on a £2 million expansion at Whitchurch CofE Junior Academy, replacing temporary demountable buildings with a permanent extension and adding more teaching space for pupils.
The Shropshire Council-backed project will provide four new classrooms, plus two dedicated classrooms for the school’s SEND provision. The SEND space will include toilets and circulation areas where needed, creating a new hub for more inclusive support within a mainstream school setting in the north of the county.
Six new classrooms for a growing school
The scheme is being delivered by SWG Construction on behalf of Shropshire Council. It has been designed to respond to current and projected pupil numbers at the academy, with the council saying the permanent extension will replace the existing demountable buildings and create extra capacity on site.
| Project detail | Confirmed plan |
|---|---|
| Investment | £2 million |
| Main classroom space | Four new classrooms |
| SEND provision | Two classrooms with supporting facilities |
| Site change | Replacement of demountable buildings with a permanent extension |
| External works | Minor changes to add staff parking spaces |
The work also includes minor external alterations to increase staff parking. The council has not listed changes to pupil drop-off arrangements in the source notice, but the contractor said access to key local facilities would be maintained during the build.
A related education project in the Midlands, a new SEND unit in Wollaton, shows how councils are using school capital schemes to create more specialist spaces within mainstream settings.
What families and staff can expect during the build
For pupils, the most visible long-term change will be a move from temporary buildings to permanent classroom space. For families and staff, the immediate impact is likely to be construction activity around the school site while the extension is built.
Shaun Humphries, SWG director, said the company would work closely with the school and Shropshire Council to deliver the project. He said pedestrian routes would be kept open and parking provision would be in place to reduce disruption during the construction period.
The SEND element is a central part of the scheme rather than an add-on. By creating two classrooms for SEND provision, the academy will have dedicated space for pupils who need additional support while remaining within a mainstream school environment.
Shropshire’s wider education investment
Andy Hall, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said the Whitchurch project forms part of around £33 million being invested in education this year in response to rising pupil numbers across the county.
He said the investment at Whitchurch CofE Junior Academy would help accommodate growing current and projected demand, while the new SEND hub would support more inclusive provision in the north of Shropshire.
The scheme also carries a sustainability brief. Shropshire Council said the design is targeting operational Net Zero Carbon through a timber-frame structure, all-electric heating and cooling systems, and roof-mounted photovoltaic panels.
Permanent space replacing demountable buildings
The move from demountable classrooms to a permanent extension matters for day-to-day school life because it changes the quality and resilience of the teaching environment. Permanent buildings can offer better integration with the rest of the school site, more predictable access routes and purpose-designed support spaces.
The council has not announced a completion date in the source material. During the work, SWG Construction said access to key local facilities would be maintained, with pedestrian routes kept open and parking provision in place to minimise disruption.
Source: Shropshire Council Newsroom
Source check Source trail
This article is based on Shropshire Council’s published notice about the Whitchurch CofE Junior Academy expansion.
- Confirmed the project location as Whitchurch CofE Junior Academy.
- Matched the stated investment figure to the £2 million school expansion.
- Checked the classroom numbers against the source: four general classrooms and two SEND cla...
- Separated confirmed construction details from impacts not stated in the source.
- Source
- Shropshire Council Newsroom
- Scope
- Whitchurch, Shropshire
- Updated
- 2026-06-02 11:00
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