Five secondary schools will now have sixth form buildings.
State-of-the-art new sixth form facilities are being constructed across five Richmond secondary schools as part of the borough’s push for greater education opportunities for over 16s.
Waldegrave School for Girls started on a dedicated sixth form building at the start of the Autumn term, and this week work also began at Christ’s, Grey Court, Orleans Park and Teddington Schools.
Improvements across the programme include new seminar rooms, specialist science labs, digital learning resources and libraries.
Waldegrave are also adding a sports hall, dining space and improved performing arts block as part of a £7m investment. The new year groups will admit boys for the first time.
Cllr Paul Hodgins, Richmond Council Cabinet Member for Schools, said: “One of the key commitments of this administration was to remove the block the previous administration had put on our schools having sixth forms.
“We have always supported sixth forms being established within the borough to continue to attract the very best teachers and increase choice and diversity for all our young people.”
Last year Twickenham Academy, which is run by the Learning Schools Trust, opened its post-16 enrolment and has already seen 120 pupils attend across both year groups. Hampton Academy also opened its new sixth form last month.
All five schools are due to open their new year groups for admissions in September 2014.
“I am extremely pleased that these works have started,” Cllr Hodgins added. “Sixth forms in all our schools are becoming a reality.”
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