Wakefield Girls’ High School campus to be “repurposed” for juniors and infants
The campus of Wakefield Girls’ High School (WGHS) is to be “repurposed” to accommodate educational facilities for younger pupils.
Proposals to convert the historic city centre site were put forward following a decision to merge WGHS with Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS) – two of Yorkshire’s oldest single-sex schools.
In September 2024, governors announced that the schools would become Wakefield Grammar School in Autumn 2026, in the wake of the government’s planned VAT hike on fees.
Work is currently under way to transform the former Clayton Hospital into a new co-educational campus for the foundation, whose schools neighbour the site to the north of the city.
Wakefield Council planning officers have approved an application to transform the WGHS campus on Wentworth Terrace for juniors and infants.
A heritage statement submitted to the local authority said: “The works form an essential part of the grammar school foundations’ commitment to offering the best quality education and facilities to students.
“Due to a recent drop in student numbers in the context of the VAT increase, as well as historic institutional inefficiencies, the trust is looking to move towards a co-educational model from the start of the 2026 school year.
“This has involved considerable investment, coordination and development by several stakeholders.”
The site is within a conservation area and contains the Grade II-listed Wentworth House, which dates back to the early 1800s.
The document said: “The existing building, which currently caters for 12 to 18-year-olds, requires interventions to ensure it is safe and usable by the younger pupils who will occupy the building moving forwards, who will be ages three to 11.”
The document said much of the work would be carried out with “minimal intervention” but some facilities were “not fit for purpose” and required modifications.
The statement also added: “Wentworth House has long acted as an important part of Wakefield’s educational and architectural legacy, helping define the area’s historic identity.”
“The proposed works represent a carefully considered and sensitive package of improvements that respect the significance of the Grade II-listed building.
“The interventions are limited in scale, largely reversible, and focused on areas of lower historical sensitivity.
“Any heritage impact is assessed as being at the lower end of less than substantial harm, with several elements offering clear enhancements to the site’s functionality and setting.”
A council planning officer’s report said the scheme complied with local and national planning policies.