Somerset Council has announced plans to build a new classroom at Trinity Church of England First School in Frome, with a budget of almost £911,000. Located on Nunney Road within the Frome Safer School Streets zone, the school currently faces capacity challenges as it operates beyond its intended size.
At present, additional pupils are being taught in the school’s nursery facility, which was not designed as a primary teaching space. To address this, the council will invest up to £910,930 in constructing a new classroom that accommodates 30 pupils. This funding is secured entirely from contributions tied to local housing developments.
As of October 2025, Trinity First School had 294 students enrolled, with numbers expected to rise over the next two to three years. To meet its legal obligation to provide sufficient school places within walking distance for local children, Somerset Council is expanding classroom capacity. This move also aligns with efforts to reduce school transport costs and improve financial sustainability.
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Rose Stokes, a senior officer in the council’s education places strategy team, emphasized the urgency of the project: “Trinity First School is currently over capacity, with some children being taught in spaces not designed for them. We need to ensure all pupils have access to suitable learning environments. The new classroom will enable the school to continue delivering high-quality education.”
The additional classroom will be attached to the end of an existing building, identified as the most practical and cost-effective option. The council has been collaborating closely with the school’s headteacher and the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, all of whom support the expansion plans.
The £910,930 budget covers construction, associated fees, ICT infrastructure, and new classroom furniture. Due to legal restrictions linked to the housing development funding, the full amount must be committed by June 2027. Construction is expected to start soon, with the new classroom planned to open by September 2027.