SIXTH form students at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy could soon have the new purpose-built block they’ve been desperate for.

And it might be up before the end of the summer term.

The school has just received planning permission from Wiltshire Council for its proposals to build a new block for 16-to 18 year old pupils. It will also be able to build a glazed walkway from that to its existing block.

Headteacher George Croxford said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this permission. This is something we’ve been desperate to do.”

He explained the popularity of the 6th form at the school in Lime Kiln has led to quite severe overcrowding: “We’ve got more than 200 in each year group and we simply don’t have enough room for them.

“It means they’ve been spilling out into the rest of the school, in any space we can find for them.”

The new block won’t mean an extension to the size of the upper two years, said Mr Croxford: “We’ll be keeping the numbers the same, it will just mean the sixth form has the space it’s needed for some time.”

The new block will have six classrooms, an office and some free multi-use space.

Mr Croxford said: “It will be the good facilities that the sixth form needs. It will also mean the rest of the school has some more space itself.”

Funding for the scheme came to the school from Wiltshire Council from developers’ Section 106 contributions, and because the new block is prefabricated out of wood, it could be in place very soon. Mr Croxford said: “We hope to have it all ready before the summer holidays.”