Colliers Wood primary to triple in size
Merton council has bought back a school building it once owned to help it cope with the borough's primary school places crisis.
It has bought the former Jamia School in South Gardens, Colliers Wood, to enable neighbouring Singlegate School to triple in size.
The purchase means the school will be able to provide 90 places each year -an overall increase from 210 permanent places to 630.
Funds to pay for the Grade II-listed building and modern extension were raised through a combination of council capital, a Department for Education grant and contributions made by developers across the borough to compensate for building new homes (section 106 funding).
Merton Council cabinet member for education Councillor Martin Whelton said: "This outstanding school is already heavily oversubscribed, and the purchase of this building will allow us to provide additional places to meet increasing demand from local parents.
"As a result of the expansion, we can also offer a top class education to more pupils through a scheme which utilises existing buildings, and would cost less than if we provided new school buildings."