Trafford Council has purchased the former Loreto Preparatory School site in Altrincham, a move that will enable neighbouring North Cestrian School to expand and create 300 new school places. The three-acre site will allow the school to add the equivalent of two more classes, or 60 pupils, in each year group.
Land Purchase and Funding
The purchase was funded through a Department for Education grant, the council said. Loreto Prep shut in July 2023 after trustees deemed it no longer financially viable.
The announcement comes amid school place shortages in the south of the borough. Each year, parents in Altrincham and Sale receive 'tailored' advice when applying for schools, with the Labour-led authority warning they are 'significantly oversubscribed'.
Opposition Reaction
However, opposition councillors said the purchase was 'great news' but 'doesn't nearly go far enough'. The Conservatives believe a new school with SEND provision needs to be built in the borough to ease the pressure.
Conservative leader of the opposition Nathan Evans said: “It barely plugs the gap. We lost 300 places and £2m trying to invest in Altrincham College which was a total failure [...]“We need more. We will still campaign for a full school for Trafford.”
Previous Expansion Hurdles
Plans to increase places in the area hit a road block last year when the council halted a proposed expansion of Altrincham College due to soaring costs. The college was set to increase by 300 places to 1,200. However, the contractor appointed to deliver the scheme went into administration. When the council went back out to tender, costs came in at £22m, up from an expected £7.2m when it was first mooted three years earlier.
Next Steps and Reactions
A feasibility study is now underway for the expansion, the council has said. The first new places are expected to be delivered by the start of the 2027 academic year, with completion estimated for September 2028.
George Devlin, Trafford council’s executive member for babies, children and young people, said: “Our schools are the envy of the North West. That’s why so many people want their children to be educated here in Trafford.“I’m delighted that we have made this purchase to help make sure more of our local children can go to an Altrincham school and get them the best start in life. We will continue to monitor secondary school places in Trafford to make sure our borough’s parents are able to access the best schools and get the best education for their children.”
Liz Patel, executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “This has been a fantastic team effort. Without our endeavours, the site of the old Loreto School could have been lost to education in Trafford forever. I am thrilled that we have been able to work together to secure a great outcome for our children.”
Tim Gartside, CEO of Hamblin Education Trust said: “From the beginning, we have shared with Trafford Council the vision of ensuring that the former Loreto Prep School site should remain as a site for the education of Altrincham children.“As North Cestrian School begins its 10th year as a free school we look forward to working with the Council during this exciting phase of growth so that all children from Altrincham can attend a local and highly successful school.”
