Groundbreaking ceremonies at two new schools in town
TWO groundbreaking ceremonies traditionally known as sod-cutting have taken place to officially mark the start of work on multi-million pound new Tamworth schools.
We told in September how work had begun on the brand-new £8m Dunstall Park Primary School and £7m Garden Village Primary School in Amington and now official ceremonies and site visits have made it formal.
Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson, is delivering construction on behalf of Staffordshire County Council and alongside Entrust.
The latter will be managed by Fiertè Multi Academy Trust. Due to open its doors to its first cohort of pupils in September 2024, the new two-storey 1FE school in Eagle Drive will provide 210 primary and 26 nursery places to meet demand for residents in the nearby housing developments.
The 17,0000 sq. ft. facility will comprise nine classrooms, staff offices, an indoor school hall and catering spaces, alongside an outdoor play area to enable pupils to take part in a number of sporting activities.
The energy efficient design will ensure a good amount of daylight and natural ventilation to the building and to ensure the scheme adjusts to temperature changes, high levels of insulation and thermal mass will be applied to walls and ceilings.
The structural steel frame is now complete and a sod cutting ceremony to mark the start of works took place at the grounds recently.
A Fiertè Multi-academy Trust representative said: “It is great to be working in partnership with G F Tomlinson, Staffordshire Country Council, Entrust and the Department for Education prior to the opening of Garden Village Primary Academy, the second free school we have been privileged to be selected to run in the Tamworth area.
“Our vision for the school is to work in close collaboration with parents, the local and wider community to soar to excellence.
“We have absolute confidence that we will have an amazing building for children to learn in and a site that they will delight in exploring. We very much look forward to welcoming our first nursery and Reception cohorts joining us in September 2024.”
Chris Flint, managing director of G F Tomlinson, said: “This school will provide modern teaching and recreational spaces that are much needed for the Amington area, improving the lives of residents in the neighbouring new housing developments, who require primary and nursery places.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Staffordshire County Council and Entrust and it is a privilege to build on this as we commence our ninth scheme working together.”
Meanwhile a ceremony also took place for Arthur Terry Learning Partnership’s new Dunstall Park Primary School which also opens in Tamworth in September 2024.
The two-storey school will be oneform entry and cater for 210 children plus a nursery. The school will also have the capacity to be expanded to 315 places in the future, in line with demand from further housing growth in the area.
Within its first year, it will offer places within its nursery and reception years. Dunstall Park Primary will then grow annually before reaching its full capacity.
CEO Richard Gill CBE, Dunstall Park Primary head of school Natalie Harris and primary strategic lead Suzie Norton were among the excited visitors recently.
Natalie said: “The new school is going to be the beating heart of the community and that’s what motivates me so much.
“I have taught current pupils’ parents who have wanted to bring their children to the same school because of the big part it plays in the community and because of how well the staff know the families. It will be fantastic to be working in brand-new buildings but it still remains the people that truly make a school successful and that’s what will be the focus when we recruit for the new school.”
Mark Sutton, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Staffordshire is a growing county and to meet that demand, we are committed to either upgrading facilities or building new schools such as this so communities have first class facilities on their doorstep.
“Learning is so much easier if it happens in a well-lit, well-designed school that meets the needs of children and staff and I look forward to seeing pupils take their places in September.”