AN £8 million plan to expand St Peter's School in Bournemouth will go before Cabinet next week.

If approved the Catholic school, currently secondary, will also provide primary places from September next year.

The school is currently on two sites with Years 7 and 8 at Holdenhurst Avenue, Boscombe East and Year 9 upwards at St Catherine's Road in Southbourne.

If the plans get the go-ahead all secondary pupils will be taught at Southbourne and 420 primary pupils will occupy refurbished buildings on the Holdenhurst Avenue site.

The plans have been submitted as Bournemouth struggles to cope with a huge demand for extra primary school places.

“We have seen a dramatic rise in births over the last five years which has put pressure on the number of primary places needed in Bournemouth” said Cllr Nicola Greene, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services.

“We have been working very closely with St Peter's School and have agreed a plan that will not only allow improvement and potential expansion of secondary facilities but also allows for the school to provide new primary school places helping to meet demand.”

The expansion would also include a new teaching block at the Southbourne site and extra facilities including a multi-purpose hall.

Construction could be underway by autumn of this year.

Headteacher of St Peter's David Todd said: “We are very happy to support the local authority and the Catholic community by expanding St Peter's.

“We anticipate great benefits in further developing staff expertise in schooling across the age range.”