Expansion plans costing more than £1.7m at two Horsforth schools were signed off at a council meeting yesterday.

The changes and re-organisation at Newlaithes Junior School and Featherbank Infant School will bring 30 extra places per year.

The changes, authorised by Leeds City Council’s Executive Board are part of a £5.1m package of measures, at 11 primary schools throughout Leeds. The increased provision will see an additional 370 primary places across the city.

Proposals for Featherbank and Newlaithes have been extensively discussed by councillors, and consultations have taken place with parents and representatives from the schools. Members of the executive board officially approved funding for the schemes which will see the infant and junior schools both become primary schools.

At Horsforth Newlaithes the overall capacity is due to increase from 240 to 420 in September. A total of £1.356m will be spent on an extension which will include six classroom and new toilets, as well as the remodelling of the existing school building.

Capacity at Featherbank will increase from 180 to 210. An extension with a classroom, staffroom and offices, and changes to the existing building are budgeted to cost £390,000 The council says the new facilities will be in high quality buildings, which have been a success at other primaries.