PLANS to provide a growing Southampton school with an extra teaching block have been given the go-ahead.

Upper Shirley High (USH) has received consent for a two-storey building that can accommodate an increase in pupils and an extra eight members of staff.

USH has been given temporary planning permission to use the four classrooms for three years.

It comes two years after Ofsted praised headteacher Stuart Woods and his senior team, saying the school's good reputation and increasing popularity were well deserved.

The existing school comprises a mixture of two-and three-storey buildings of various ages and styles.

A report by city council planning officers describes the proposed development as a stand-alone unit south of an existing two-storey block.

It adds: "The structures would be lightweight and temporary units that would neither dominate nor compete with the architecture of the existing buildings. The harm presented to the character and appearance of the area is considered to be minimal."

USH occupies a large, well-screened site about 100m from the nearest homes.

The report says: "The proposal is considered to be sufficiently distanced from properties and would not result in material harm to residential amenity.

"While the proposed development is designed to accommodate an increase in pupil numbers and eight additional full-time staff, there would be no change to the access arrangements to the school site from the highway, and no loss off on-site parking spaces."

The report says the new block would not have a negative impact on protected trees and the council's trees team had no objection to the application.

It adds: "There is no objection in principle to the proposal as it is clear from central and local government policy that the provision of school places is key.

"The proposal would not be adversely harmful to the character of the area, adjacent properties or the protected trees on site."

USH was rated "Good" by Ofsted following an inspection carried out in October 2019, when it had 882 pupils aged 11-16.

A report by Ofsted inspectors said: "Pupils enjoy their lessons and appreciate teachers’ enthusiasm for their subjects.

"The headteacher leads the school with passion and determination. He is ably supported by his senior team. The school’s good reputation and increasing popularity is well deserved."

Former pupils include Southampton singer-songwriter Craig David, 40, who went there when it was still Bellemoor School.