Grove Park School in Crowborough is set to expand

Councillor Bob Standley, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for education and inclusion, approved proposals related to the reorganisation of Grove Park School in Crowborough.

The proposals involve the expansion of the school’s site in Church Road, alongside plans to teach its primary and secondary students at a single location.

The school would also be expected to open a new nursery provision for two- and three-year-olds, who would also be located at the Church Road site.

Currently, Grove Park School’s secondary and sixth form classes are co-located with the nearby Beaconsfield Academy. This would continue to be the case for sixth form students should the other proposals be implemented.

An earlier version of the proposals, which were put out to consultation in 2023, would also have seen sixth form students brought on to the Church Road site. This part of the proposals were dropped, however, due to what officers described as “budgetary constraints and challenging site conditions”.

Cllr Standley’s decision is contingent on the grant of planning permission for the construction of a new school block in Church Road. The council has identified a £17 million budget for the project and says the new block would be constructed to current design standards to ensure long-term value for money.