WORK is under way to extend Salfords Primary School, in a move to ease the pressure on pupil places in the area.
The Copsleigh Avenue school plans to open its new three-classroom extension in August 2013. The project will allow 90 more pupils to join the school over the next five years, by expanding its reception intake from 45 to 60 pupils per year.
Head teacher Di Trainor believes the extension, the second in three years at the site, will create a community school which can serve the whole area.
"This will give us the much-needed capacity to offer an outstanding education to everyone in our local community," she told the Mirror.
"I am a head teacher who believes in offering a good education to the local community. I don't like the idea of local families not using local schools."
Over the past two years, 13 other primary schools in Reigate and Banstead have had to expand in order to create enough reception places to meet demand.
Mrs Trainor believes the extension will allow pupils from Salfords and Whitebushes to attend their local school, thereby easing the pressure on nearby Horley and Redhill.
The plan, which was given full permission by Surrey County Council on November 7, was met with some objections from local residents, who feared an increase in pupils could create traffic problems in the area.
But Mrs Trainor said the school is creating a traffic plan – including a voluntary one-way system along Copsleigh Avenue – to combat the concerns.
"You are bound to get people that object," Mrs Trainor said.
"But I have not had anyone come and knock on my door, and a lot of the residents' children come to the school and they know we need to expand.
"Lots of our pupils walk, so it will not be 90 more cars."
The 90 new pupils will be introduced over the next five years – 15 joined in September.
The extension will feature two new small teaching spaces along with the three classrooms, which will be phased into use as they are needed.
