Adams' Grammar School to turn former care home into boarding house for boys
A former care home that closed at the end of last year has been bought by a Newport school as residence for boarding pupils.
Adams' Grammar School has unveiled plans to refurbish Beaumaris Court care home.
It ceased trading in December and has been bought by the school's founders the Haberdashers' Adams' charity, which owns the school buildings.
The building on Beaumaris Road will be fully refurbished and opened as a senior boarding house, for up to 46 boys, in September 2017.
The boarders, aged from 15 to 18 are currently housed in three linked townhouses on the High Street, either side of Muse Bridal Wear. Junior boarders, aged from 11 to 15, will remain at Longford Hall, the site of the school's playing fields.
Headmaster of the school on High Street, Gary Hickey said: "In our most recent published Ofsted report the inspectors commented on the outstanding pastoral care our boarders receive but were unable to give our boarding facilities an overall outstanding rating because of the fabric of the senior boarding house.
"The townhouses on the High Street are listed buildings and there are limits on the changes that can be made.
"While the boys love their home and will be very sad to leave, we have been aware for some time of the pressing need to improve the facilities and offer them a boarding experience closer to what they will experience at university.
"We have been looking for a suitable building to become available close to the school site for some time and Beaumaris Court is ideal.
"It is very close to the rear entrance to the school and all its facilities and was specifically designed for residential purposes.
"We told the boarders and their parents about our plans earlier this week and received an overwhelmingly positive response.
"There's lots of work to do between now and September but I believe this new facility will set boarding at the school on really firm foundations for the future."
