ORMISTON Bolingbroke Academy in Runcorn is to expand to offer 200 more places to students.

The academy, sponsored by Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), has been oversubscribed for three years and from September will be able take 1,250 students after new classrooms and high-quality teaching facilities are built.

To accommodate the high demand for places at the academy, Ormiston Bolingbroke and Ormiston Academies Trust have invested approximately £700,000 to build and renovate the facilities.

Principal Emlyn Wright, said: “We are delighted that Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy is so popular. We have now been over-subscribed three years in a row but we want to try to offer a place for every student who wants to come here – so this work will help hugely with that and will be a boost to our teaching facilities.

“It is an incredibly exciting time for the academy, and we are delighted to be providing our students with not just a high-quality education, but with modern teaching spaces which will enable our students to continue to thrive.

“We have been busy all year working with architects, engineers, council planners and building contractors so that our work could start this summer, with builders moving on to the site as soon as term ended. They have worked tirelessly all summer and will be completing the work at the start of this term.

“We are very grateful of the support we have received from the community, Halton Borough Council, which has backed our application, and our sponsor Ormiston Academies Trust, as we enter this new and exciting chapter.”

Nick Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Ormiston Academies Trust, added: “The popularity and demand for school places at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy reflects the academy’s commitment to raising aspirations and providing learning opportunities which excite, motivate and challenge students. By increasing its intake, the academy will be able to offer a high standard of education to even more young people in the area.

“We are delighted to have supported the academy with these excellent new facilities and look forward to seeing students and staff enjoy the new spaces”.