Chiswick School Plans Major Expansion

Building new teaching block to cater for increased demand for places

Chiswick School has applied for planning permission for a new teaching block to cope with greater numbers of pupils as it expands from a seven to a nine-form entry from 2017.

The school wants to build a two-storey teaching block and a single-storey extension to the dining hall. The proposed two storey block would provide the school with 6 additional general use classrooms and 5 design and technology specific rooms. The block would also house a general office, staff training room and toilet facilities. An outdoor area for eating and recreation is also planned.

The project comes under a new £18 million schools funding plan (including secondary schools in Heston and Isleworth), announced by Hounslow Council which is aimed at facilitating a predicted 22% increase in school children in the borough by 2020.

It will be the first major capital project at Chiswick School since the 1980s. The application goes before Hounslow Council's Planning Committee meeting this week (Thursday 18 February) with a recommendation for approval. The buildings would be positioned to the southern side of the site, towards Great Chertsey Road and away from Chiswick House and Gardens. The application has been advertised as a departure from planning policy as the entire Chiswick School site is designated Metropolitan Open Land.

The school is to expand by an additional class per year, going from a seven form to a nine form entry, with total pupils increasing from the currently 1,080 to 1,350 and full time staff increasing by ten. Last year Chiswick School announced that it was increasing its roll from 7.2 forms of entry (215 students yearly), to 8.0 forms of entry (240) from September 2015. The plans approved allow for a further expansion to 270 students/year from 2017.

Earlier this year Chiswick School lost its overall 'Good' rating in an Ofsted Report and is currently working to restore this.

The project at Chiswick will combine with similar ones at Heston Community School and Isleworth & Syon School, together with the proposed HIP Free School to be sited in Brentford, to meet the impending need from students currently in years 4/5 at local primary schools.

The School Expansion programme was developed following a report to Cabinet in September 2014 outlining how the continued growth in the number of children in Hounslow would result in the need for additional secondary school places.

February 16, 2016