Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, visited St. Nicholas C of E Primary on Friday, to discuss the potential expansion of the school, by at least two classrooms, to cater for more pupils.
The school, which is just off Rawreth Lane, on the Western edge of Rayleigh, has been earmarked to grow, to an intake of thirty new pupils each year, as part of the wider plan to create a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) school in Rawreth. The expanded mainstream provision at St Nicholas, will help address capacity pressures at the popular local primary, which is already regularly oversubscribed.
It is hoped the new classrooms - which will be financed primarily by section 106 contributions from local property developments - will be ready for use during the 2025/26 academic year (a parallel timeline to the opening of the new SEN School itself).
Mark met with the Headteacher, Mrs Willis and her Business Manager, Mrs Riley, to discuss the growth plans, in a meeting which was also joined (via speakerphone) by Claire Kershaw, Essex County Council’s Director of Education (who has also played a. Important role in supporting the new SEN School project).
Commenting on his visit (which also included a meeting with the St. Nicholas School Council) Mark said:
“I want to thank Essex County Council for their strong support, both for creating the new SEN School at Rawreth and for also backing the expansion of mainstream capacity at St Nicholas, which is located nearby. I will do all I can, as the local MP, to help bring both important projects successfully to fruition.”
