All aboard for art in a double decker bus

PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS PLAN TO PLACE VEHICLE BEHIND GAMES AREA

AN expanding primary school wants to park a double decker bus in its grounds for art lessons.

Springfield primary school, in Sale, has submitted a planning application to place a library pod and a double decker bus in the grounds.

The school, on Springfield Road in the town centre, submitted the application to Trafford council last month.

The planning papers show the school wants to place a library pod in a disused part of the school gardens to cater for an increasing roll of pupils and give children ‘a newer environment to read in,’ according to the application.

“It will also bring a new lease of life to an unused part of our outdoor area,” it adds.

As part of the same application, the school wants to park a double decker bus in red behind a games area.

The bus engine will be removed so it cannot be driven away, according to the application.

“The double decker bus will be a much needed addition to the school’s resources as we will be turning it into an art studio for the classes to use during art lessons,” according to the application.

The school, rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2010, has expanded over the last few years and now caters for more than 600 pupils. It had fewer than 500 pupils up until 2015/16.

The application has yet to be decided by Trafford council’s planning committee.

In 2017, Tyldesley primary school in Wigan scrapped a plan to turn a double decker bus into a library despite £4,000 being spent on the project.

Headteacher Yvonne Brown announced the project had been scrapped due to ‘health and safety legislation.’

The bus, bought for £4,500, had been parked on the school site since 2014 but it was targeted by vandals and school leaders realised they couldn’t afford the cost of fitting it out and connecting it to the electricity network.

It was sold in the summer for £500 after the project was deemed not to be viable, meaning £4,000 of school cash had been blown.

Bosses said the £7,700 raised by kids would be spent on books.