A Wokingham school’s resources are under ‘significant pressure’ as it waits for a new classroom building to be delivered by the council.
Gabriela Goncalves, who attends The Emmbrook School, said her school has seen a 44 per cent increase in the number of pupils it serves since 2018.
Wokingham Borough Council approved plans to expand the school along with St Crispin’s and Piggot Schools to address a shortfall in secondary school places across the borough in 2023.
The Emmbrook increased its capacity of students by 210 and number of staff by 22 in 2023 to allow for the expansion.
Plans for The Emmbrook involved a new reception extension, a two-storey modular sixth form block and a remodel of the existing sixth form centre into a new larger dining area.
The existing school admin block would also be demolished to create more car parking spaces. New wheelchair access routes would also be created throughout the school.
Funding for the work would come from a grant from the Department for Education, along with developers’ contributions from new housing in the borough, the council said at the time.
Now, student at the school Gabriela Goncalves is calling on council leaders to maintain their commitment to the scheme.
In a question submitted to a full council meeting, Miss Goncalves wrote: “While the school has seen rising standards, this growth continues to place significant pressure on the physical resources of the school site.”
The student has asked the executive member for children’s services Prue Bray whether the council ‘remains committed in providing us with the promised investment’.
Wokingham Borough Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that temporary buildings for students at The Emmbrook have been delivered.
But work on a new permanent building is set to begin in the 2026/27 financial year.
This will be subject to the authority’s normal budget process and a borough-wide review of school place provision.
The council said this review ‘must support the need’ for the expansion works to be carried out at The Emmbrook.
In 2023, the council said that schools would return to their previous size once the ‘bulge’ in numbers had passed through the schools.
A similar ‘budge’ in the number of children reaching secondary school was identified in Shinfield and Arborfield last year.
Miss Goncalves will receive an answer to her question at Wokingham Borough Council’s full meeting on Thursday, January 23, and will be invited to ask a follow up question.
