The expansion and relocation of a school is one step closer.

Eleanor Smith School’s secondary campus in Lawson Close, Beckton, has 32 students.

But if everything goes to plan, it will move to the former Lansbury School site in Flanders Road, East Ham, and increase its capacity to 54 pupils.

A learning resource centre, sports hall and a multi-use games area are among the facilities to be built on the new site.

Cabinet members have agreed to publish a statutory notice – the penultimate step in the legal process of relocating and expanding the school. It will provide six weeks for residents to have their say.

Councillors have already been consulted, with no objections, while in September and October there were statutory meetings to make parents, governors, staff and unions aware of what has been planned for the school.

The move comes following a demand for part time and full time places at the school for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

The number of primary school places is also set to rise from 34 to 56, based on seven students per class.

According to the proposal, “There is significant evidence to suggest that earlier interventions in the lives of students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties has a beneficial effect on their long term prospects and leads to a reduction in the number of students requiring education outside the mainstream by the time they reach key stages 3 and 4.”

The move will be funded using £9million from the capital programme, with a further £4.5m sought to be approved from the basic need grant.