A West Cumbrian school closing later this year is set to reopen as a sixth form centre.
St Joseph’s Primary School in Cockermouth will close next month because of falling pupil numbers. It has been proposed that a sixth form centre for Whitehaven’s Mayfield School uses the premises instead.
Plans have been lodged with Cumbria County Council to repurpose the building for around 40 pupils of the special school.
The Catholic primary school had just one pupil remaining in April, and has struggled on a number of levels in recent years.
The new Mayfield campus will be suitable for 40 youngsters and will require some alterations to suit their needs.
Proposals include a small extension for an office area, a new workshop/greenhouse, two summer houses, minor internal alterations internally and a vehicle turning area with parking zone.
Play equipment, building canopies and outbuildings will also be removed. Consultation on the proposal is open until July 27.
Cumbria County Council announced in June that it would invest almost £1 million into the creation of new Specialist Educational Needs sixth form facilities for Mayfield and James Rennie in Carlisle.
Tomorrow, Cumbria County Council’s development control and regulation committee will decide on James Rennie’s plans to build two temporary classrooms in a modular building until permanent accommodation is developed at St Edmund’s Church space on Orton Road.
Plans for both schools are designed to meet the demand for Specialist Educational Needs provision in time for the start of this year’s autumn term.
