An additional 828 primary school places to be created in Brent

Capital City Academy hopes to open a new primary school in 2015 (Image: Archant)

A new primary school and an expansion of another are planned to help tackle the shortage of places for children.

Gwenneth Rickus Building in Brentfield Road, Neasden (Image: Archant)

Under the plans, which will create a total of 828 places, an oversubscribed school in Harlesden will extend to a building in Neasden, and a secondary school in Willesden will open its doors to primary pupils.

It is hoped the expansion plans for Leopold Primary School, in Hawkeshead Road, will come to fruition in time for the next academic year.

The scheme will see the school manage 450 temporary places at the Gwenneth Rickus Building in Brentfield Road, Neasden.

The building, which was previously a Pupil Referral Unit, will become vacant when council employees are transferred to the £90m Brent Civic Centre in Wembley.

Leopold School initially hoped to extend its original building but according to a spokesman for Brent Council it fell through as it would have been “significantly below guidelines”.

He added: “The facilities at Gwenneth Rickus are excellent, have been kept in good repair, and only minor work is needed to return the building to its former use. The building work has already begun.”

However Cllr Mike Pavey, Brent Council’s lead member for children and families, said the plan was “not a done deal” and still “at the feasibility stage”.

A further 378 places will be created if Capital City Academy, in Doyle Gardens, is given the green light to open Capital Primary in September 2015. The school will have a two-form entry but eventually extend to accommodate 378 children.

An academy spokesman told the Times they were discussing with the council to establish a location for the school. Figures from January this year showed 201 primary aged children had no school place for the 2012/2013 academic year – 54 of which were reception age.