Bell rings for final day at Telford school

The final lessons have been held at Grange Park Primary School's site in Calcott, Stirchley.

Pupils bid farewell to the site yesterday and will be starting back in a brand new multi-million pound building in Grange Avenue on June 12.

Past pupils are parents were invited to have a last look around the current building before it finally shut its doors.

The new Grange Park Primary School has been built on land at the old Lord Silkin/Lakeside Academy site.

Bosses at the school say the new building will be fit for purpose, offering improved facilities and will be what pupils deserve.

It will feature bigger classrooms and new teaching equipment.

The new site, which is situated next to Telford Park School, will cater for about 400 pupils and 60 nursery children.

Youngsters from the school's nursery have already started helping with the move and drove all their toy vehicles to the new site earlier this week.

Lisa Dugmore, school business manager, said: "We've had the keys to the new building for about three weeks now.

"We will be packing up this site and everything will be moved over during the half-term.

"Afterwards, we will start the unpacking.

"We've been waiting for this since 2010.

"The original plan was to move into the new school in 2014.

"The new site is only about half a mile away.

"Our current building is 40 to 50 years old and it is showing its age.

"We have temporary classrooms. We haven't spent as much money on maintaining the site as we knew we were going to move.

"Everything is brand new in the new building.

"The hall will be big enough to have the whole school in an assembly. We cannot do that at the moment.

"It's also a two storey building, which we don't have now, and the size of the classrooms are much bigger.

"We also have new interactive LED screens. They are amazing.

"The teachers have new technology, we have new laptops. We've had lots of new PE equipment as well.

"The nursery also has a new outside soft play area."

Headteacher Richard Thorpe said excitement had been building at the school ahead of the move.

He said: "The children are incredibly excited.

"We have taken them down to have a look at the new building a couple of times. "They are amazed.

"The teachers are looking forward to working in such a fantastic, modern building with everything we need.

"It's just what the children need and deserve.

"We are incredibly lucky and very grateful."

The school, which came about after Three Oaks Primary and Stirchley Primary merged in 2010, will hold an open day on June 8 to give anyone interested the chance to look around the new building.

A grand official opening of the new site, which is expected to feature fireworks, is being planned for later this year.

Mr Thorpe added: "We want to have a grand opening when we are really settled in our new home."

Wates construction firm was responsible for building the new school and the old site is set to be demolished.

It is understood that outline planning permission has already been granted to build homes on the land in Calcott, Stirchley.