King Edwards VI School for Girls in Handsworth rebuild plans unveiled

One of the best schools in Birmingham could be about to tear down its ageing school blocks and start fresh as part of a colossal rebuild.

King Edward VI School for Girls in Handsworth consistently receives stellar reports from Ofsted but now says ‘it cannot deliver its curriculum effectively’ with the crumbling outdated classrooms.

As part of a huge project, all the existing teaching accommodation apart from the 6th Form Centre will be demolished. A 3-storey teaching block, including classrooms, dining and main halls, a drama studio and all the supporting staff and storage areas will be constructed in its place.

The first floor will accommodate maths and English departments with Science classrooms located on the 2nd floor. A Drama and Main Hall along with a recording room and a cluster of music practice rooms and classrooms will be located directly above the main hall. A sports block complete with main hall and changing rooms as well as a 3G pitch are also planned.

King Edwards VI Handsworth Wood Girls Academy is a Secondary Academy Converter, managed by King Edward VI Academy Trust. The school caters for 900 secondary pupils aged 11 16 and has a post-16 provision catering for 200 pupils aged 16-18. If approved developers hope to get underway as soon as possible with the completion of the build expected for December 2025.

What has the school said about the rebuild plans in its own words?

A representative for King Edward VI School for Girls said: “The school currently operates within an older estate which has been adapted many times over the years. At present the school struggle to fully deliver the curriculum in several key areas, due to inefficient spatial configurations, poor movement between blocks, and lack of external space.

“The proposed project has been commissioned by the DfE to replace all the existing accommodation that has reached the end of its viable life with a fit-for-purpose new-build to enable the school to deliver its curriculum effectively. The newer 6th Form Centre is to be retained.

“The school also has limited internal and external spaces that can be utilised by the community, something that the school wishes to improve on in the future. The site masterplan for the new school has been developed to provide a sustainable, secure and educational resource, within the constraints of the existing site. In particular, retaining and protecting the existing trees has determined the location and proposed floor level of the building.”

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