A MULTI-MILLION pound expansion of three Basildon primary schools is expected to be given the go-ahead this week.

Essex County Council is due to approve construction projects costing £4.3million.

The expansion will create extra places next September at Whitmore Primary School, Basildon; Abacus Primary School, Wickford; and Runwell Primary School, Runwell.

At Whitmore Primary School, in Whitmore Way, an extra 150 places would be created, with a total of 630 pupils on the roll from 2016 onwards.

Emma Bloomfield was headteacher during initial consultation about the expansion, but she has moved toaschool in Harlow, starting this term.

Damian Pye, headteacher of Great Berry Primary School, and Kevin Furlong, retired headteacher of Rydene Primary School, are leading the school until a permanent successor is appointed.

An extra 210 places will be created at Runwell Primary School and another 105 at Abacus Primary School.

The projects are being pushed forward due to anticipated increased demand for school places across the borough due to population growth and new housing.

Building work at Whitmore Primary School will include two new teaching blocks, four classrooms and a hall.

Runwell Primary School will receive two classrooms and a staff kitchen area, while three classrooms, toilets and an all-weather sports pitch will be built at Abacus Primary School. In Basildon town, there were 585 reception places available this year, but demand is expected to increase to 656 in two years’ time.

In Wickford, 441 places are expected to be needed for 2018/19, compared to 419 available now.

Ray Gooding, councillor responsible for education, said: “We recognise Essex is growing rapidly and plan to spend about £200million over the next five years creating new school places across the county.”

A fourth expansion project, for Phoenix Primary School, in Leinster Road, Laindon, is also expected to take place in the next year