A SECOND primary school could be built on the new Tadpole Farm development.

The 1,700-home development initially had space for one school, which is currently being built and due to open next September.

But construction of this school was brought forward to cope with the increase in the number of pupils in North Swindon.

So there will be a demand for more places when the houses being built at Tadpole Farm are occupied.

As a result, the council is looking at solutions before it becomes a problem.

One possibility involves opening a second primary school elsewhere on the development.

A second option involves expanding the school currently being built.

It is anticipated that spaces for a further 420 pupils will be needed and to accommodate these numbers, the existing primary school would need to double in size.

The building of any new school, or expansion, would be paid for by money from the Tadpole Farm developers through Section 106 funds.

Negotiations on the options have begun, although an agreement is not needed in the near future.

A council spokesman said: “Work on the school, which will open its doors to pupils in September next year, is progressing well and it is on target for completion in July.

“That school is mainly there to cope with the demand for school places in North Swindon generally.

“So there will still be a need for further school places to cope with the demand from families moving in to new homes on the Tadpole Farm development itself.

“We have money from the developer to provide those extra school places and we are negotiating with them about the options, which could be another school on another site, or further expansion of the school that will open in September.

“How quickly this all happens depends on how quickly the new houses are built, but it’s two years away at least and no decision has yet been made.”

Although the main school building is not finished, Tadpole Farm Academy, which is run by the Diocese of Bristol, opened this September and is temporarily based at the Redhouse Community Centre.

When it is built the school will have a similar look to the Croft School.

A number of the pods which make up the building are in place, meaning any bad weather should not hold up construction.