A SCHOOL could expand by hundreds of pupils if it becomes an 'all-through' school.

Yardley Primary School in Chingford hopes to spend between £6 to £10 million on a new block which would enable it to teach children from the age of five to 18, bringing the number of pupils up to around 720 from 482.

The outstanding-rated school in Hawkwood Crescent has already employed architects ATP Group to conduct a feasibility study for the project following its conversion into an academy earlier this year.

And head teacher Norman Clear said the expansion would help children's education.

"There's no transfer from one school to another so it means we already know the children and their abilities," he said. "It means we can tailor their education their skills. Also everyone knows each other, they don't have to start again making new friends."

Mr Clear said that the extra capacity would help at a time when Waltham Forest is predicted to have a shortage of 1,528 secondary places in 2015/16, as part of an overall school places shortage of 7,104.

"It will only get worse for secondary places because the shortage of primary [places] shortage will go through to the secondary system in time, too," he added.

School governor Jemma Hemsted said: "It's a very exciting proposal. It's an outstanding school so I think a lot of parents would like to see their children continue getting that high standard of education."

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