A new primary school building is set to open at Berkeley Homes’ Highcroft development in Wallingford this September following a £4.95m contribution towards primary education from the housebuilder.
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School is relocating to a new purpose-built site on Gatehouse Crescent, with pupils due to move in for the start of the new school year.
The relocation is being delivered through a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education, with Morgan Sindall acting as principal contractor.
The milestone has been marked by the laying of a commemorative brick at the school ahead of staff moving into the building.
SCHOOL EXPANSION
The move will see St Nicholas expand from an infant school into a full primary school, alongside a 39-place nursery.
The school will continue to accommodate Nursery, Reception and Years 1 and 2 when it opens, while adding its first Year 3 cohort in September. Years 4, 5 and 6 will then be introduced over the following three years.
Berkeley has contributed £4.95m towards primary education through its planning agreement with Oxfordshire County Council, which is funding the relocation project.
Amy King, Headteacher at St Nicholas, which is part of the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, says: “We’re excited for the completion of the new building, which will further enhance all that we do as a school.
“While the new facilities will greatly expand our educational offering, we’re proud to say that our ethos and values, which have served our school so well for generations, remain the same.”
HIGHCROFT COMMUNITY
The school forms part of the wider infrastructure being delivered alongside new housing at Highcroft.
The development also includes more than two acres of sports pitches, children’s play areas and allotments.
Stephen Kirwan, Managing Director at Berkeley, says: “Berkeley is honoured to have St Nicholas school opening its new building within Highcroft.
“Having a school on the development ensures that the children of our homeowners have access to education right on their doorstep and builds on our already thriving community.”
Main image: Wallingford Primary School: Amy King, Headteacher and Emma Richardson, School Business Manager.
