School could get £6.5m facelift

A Victorian primary school may be the first in Nottingham to be rebuilt as part of a modernisation programme.

Southwick Primary School in Old Basford is earmarked for the £6.5m project.

The city council has been selected for a pilot to rebuild a school intended as a "beacon" for primary education in the 21st Century.

The city also hopes to get between £5m and £6m a year from the government - starting in 2009 - to help replace more of its aging primary schools.

'Very old'

Southwick Primary is expected to have new facilities in place within the next three years.

Half of the city's primary schools should be revamped over the next 15 years, according to Councillor Jane Urquhart.

She said Nottingham was one of 23 local authorities across England and Wales to be given the long-term funding.

"We already have plans in place to refurbish or rebuild all of our secondary schools," said Ms Urquhart.

"Some of our primary schools are very old and designed for a completely different era of education, so it is right to redesign and refurbish for the 21st Century."