Building work starts at St Thomas primary school

Building work began this summer at the new site of St Thomas Community Primary School in Lower Crumpsall.

The current school on Hazelbottom Road is more than 100 years old and is built on land donated by Edward Lloyd, one of the founders of Lloyds Bank. It has 248 pupils including a 30-place nursery.

A modern, purpose built, environmentally sustainable £5m school and nursery is being built close to the existing school near to Harpurhey Road.

It will have places for 315 children and a 45-place nursery and is due to open in September of next year.

Headteacher Gary Schofield says: "This really is a wonderful opportunity for the children, parents and local residents as a whole. The new school will be at the heart of the community and will be a place that the pupils use in the day and the community uses at night."

And the children have been encouraged to get involved in the design of their new school by meeting the architects and sharing their thoughts on what they would like to see in their new building.

Gary adds: "We held a number of open days and design days for pupils and adults where we focused on a number of themes around the school such as learning spaces, dining areas, school identity and environmental issues. This gave everyone the opportunity to have a say in what the school should look and feel like."

Some of the things that pupils, parents and staff agreed the new school should feature are gardens, a welcoming entrance and reception space, an ICT suite, library, medical room, outdoor classroom and community room.

The school plans to make the most of its proximity to the Irk Valley and hopes to develop a scheme with the support of Irk Valley Trust, where pupils from the school, along with other schools will visit St Thomas' and use it as a resource and base for nature trails.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Executive Member Children's Services, Manchester City Council, says: St Thomas' new build is part of a national investment in primary schools called the 'Primary Capital Programme' which aims to ensure that all pupils are taught in quality school environments which facilitate personalised learning and enable them to offer a wide range of services to their local communities. The new school will be one that not only the people of Crumpsall can be proud of, but Manchester as a whole."

MEDIA CONTACT:

Maggie Doyle, tel: 0161 234 4610