A CATHOLIC primary school in West Craven has submitted plans to build extra classrooms.

The application to expand St Joseph's RC Primary School, on West Close Road, Barnoldswick, includes two classrooms, an IT suite, cloakroom and toilets.

The plans also include external alterations and enlarging the play area.

The school is forging ahead with the application although it has yet to secure funding from Lancashire County Council.

Headteacher Natalie Wood said: “We want to get planning permission in place. I understand that we've got three years to build it.”

Mrs Wood said that the school was still hoping to secure funding through the county council for voluntary aided schools. The school will submit a bid in October and the funding could be allocated around April or May 2015.

Mrs Wood said: “There could be a lot of Lancashire schools bidding for one pot of money, but the authority has to decide how to prioritise the money.

“We've got a long journey to go on, but we want to give the children the best education they can get.”

But Lynn Mappin, Lancashire County Council’s manager for school planning, said although the county council will continue to monitor demand, there are no current plans for expanding St Joseph's.

She said: “Across the county many schools are oversubscribed but the funding is not available to expand. We will provide additional places only when the total amount of school places in an area is predicted to be too low for future demand.”

Mrs Wood added: “There are a lot of Catholic families in the locality who want their children to receive a Catholic education.

“It’s a difficult time, but by applying for this extension we're doing what's right for the school and the community. It's desperately needed.”

To raise money for the proposed extension of St Joseph's, a centenary fundraising event will be held next Sunday, September 21, at St Joseph’s Community Centre, on Bolland Street, from 10.30am.