Children celebrate the opening of their £7m new school
Tuesday, 17th April 2012.
Children at a Haverhill primary school began the new term today in brand new buildings as Westfield school moved from Manor Road to Chalkstone Way.
The £7million buildings represent a dream come true for Rosie Campbell, who has been head teacher at the school for 12 years.
She and her staff, children and governors have had a lot of input into the design of the new buildings, which are located next to the new football complex of New Croft.
It means they are right next door to the new block of Samuel Ward Academy, which which Westfield is in partnership, and where most of its pupils will progress to eventually.
The school is purpose-built for 420 pupils and includes a nursery.
Class bases and activity areas have been designed to enable flexible learning and allow for future curriculum changes.
There is access to the outdoors from every class base with outdoor spaces designed to encourage learning as well as for exercise.
The sustainable design ensures CO2 emissions are as low as possible, including a bio mass boiler which is shared with the new Samuel Ward building.
Suffolk County Council has taken advantage of a Government initiative to fund the new buildings, made necessary by the change from three-tier to two-tier education, which means both Westfield and Samuel Ward have had to take on two more years of pupils.
The former school, which is now over 40 years old, will be demolished to make way for new housing.
At a special ceremony this afternoon, Cllr Graham Newman, the county council's portfolio holder for children, schools and young people’s services, handed over the keys of the new school to Mrs Campbell.
Then borough and town councillor Les Ager cut the ribbon to declare the school open. Cllr Ager is president of Haverhill Silver Band, which rehearsed in the old school and now has a band room in the new one, which it will use for the first time tomorrow evening.
The £7million buildings represent a dream come true for Rosie Campbell, who has been head teacher at the school for 12 years.
She and her staff, children and governors have had a lot of input into the design of the new buildings, which are located next to the new football complex of New Croft.
It means they are right next door to the new block of Samuel Ward Academy, which which Westfield is in partnership, and where most of its pupils will progress to eventually.
The school is purpose-built for 420 pupils and includes a nursery.
Class bases and activity areas have been designed to enable flexible learning and allow for future curriculum changes.
There is access to the outdoors from every class base with outdoor spaces designed to encourage learning as well as for exercise.
The sustainable design ensures CO2 emissions are as low as possible, including a bio mass boiler which is shared with the new Samuel Ward building.
Suffolk County Council has taken advantage of a Government initiative to fund the new buildings, made necessary by the change from three-tier to two-tier education, which means both Westfield and Samuel Ward have had to take on two more years of pupils.
The former school, which is now over 40 years old, will be demolished to make way for new housing.
At a special ceremony this afternoon, Cllr Graham Newman, the county council's portfolio holder for children, schools and young people’s services, handed over the keys of the new school to Mrs Campbell.
Then borough and town councillor Les Ager cut the ribbon to declare the school open. Cllr Ager is president of Haverhill Silver Band, which rehearsed in the old school and now has a band room in the new one, which it will use for the first time tomorrow evening.
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