Latest news with #primaryschool
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Construction to start on Great Haddon primary and nursery school
Construction of a new primary school and nursery is set to begin this summer as part of a major residential first nursery and primary school of the Great Haddon urban extension project in Peterborough is expected to be completed by September next state-funded academy school will take 420 pupils and the nursery will take about 50 is being built as part of the Great Haddon project which included 5,350 homes, three shopping centres, three primary schools and a secondary school. A reserved matters application for the first primary school and nursery on the development was approved on 24 July, with construction beginning later in the Helen Price, the executive head teacher of the Hampton Academies Trust, said in the months before the school opens there would be information events for parents and carers. Fast-growing city In May, the Department for Education appointed the Hampton Academies Trust to operate the new primary will be the first school Peterborough City Council has delivered via the free school presumption route, said the Local Democracy Reporting will be independent of local authority control and will receive funding directly from Cole, the cabinet member for children's services at Peterborough City Council, previously said: "Peterborough is one of the country's fastest growing cities and we are committed to ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place to meet the demands of a growing population which will need additional school places."The council will lead and fund the building of the school and work with Hampton Academies Trust to ensure its successful in Great Haddon, a reserved matters application was approved in June for 316 homes off the Yaxley Loop Road, now referred to as Lodge of the 316 homes to be built, 265 will be private market housing while 51 will be affordable. They will be a mixture of one to five-bedroom homes. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Free school swimming lessons election pledge by Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru has promised to make sure that all primary school children in Wales are given free swimming lessons if it wins next year's Senedd policy would provide 20 "swimming and water safety" lessons for children in years four and said the pledge would cost £4.4m a national governing body for Welsh swimming, Swim Wales, said that "fewer than 35%" of Welsh children aged seven to 11 are able to swim 25 metres unaided. According to Swim Wales, parents should already "expect their child to attend school swimming at some point during primary school".However, the "exact opportunities" can vary depending on the local council and each individual school, the organisation evidence to a Senedd committee in 2023, the chief executive of Swim Wales, Fergus Feeney, said that only 50% of the country's 1,600 plus primary schools took part in swimming, as he warned the activity risks being limited to "white middle class children".Plaid says that a lack of funding limits what primary schools are able to offer and so the party would set money aside specifically for school swimming Cymru's culture, media and leisure spokeswoman Heledd Fychan said the party's "fully-costed" policy would "teach every single child the skills they need to enjoy spending time in and by the water safely"."By giving children the opportunity to learn to swim, we will also actively encourage children to be healthier – which is all a part of our commitment to a new and transformative agenda for public health in Wales," she added. According to the National Water Safety Forum, there were 18 water-related deaths in Wales in 2024 and the rate of accidental drowning in Wales is almost double that of the UK as a whole."Teaching our young people how to swim and be safe in and around water is a necessity, not a nice-to-have," Fychan Feeney said he "welcomed" the policy."Without urgent action, tens of thousands of Welsh children every year could leave primary school unable to stay safe in, on, or around water," he said."By having a universal school swimming offer, we can ensure that Welsh children from all backgrounds have the same opportunity to acquire a life skill, to develop their confidence and begin their journey of lifelong physical activity."This would mean that Wales would be the first home nation to have a national programme of this significance in place."Earlier this year, the Senedd's culture committee called on the government to "develop a school swimming strategy to ensure that children leaving primary school have the ability to swim".Responding at the time, the minister for culture Jack Sargeant said he agreed with "the intention of the recommendation", but added "we need to be mindful of the financial pressure the recommendation would imply for schools in the current difficult financial circumstances"."The statutory guidance within the Curriculum for Wales, which all schools must consider, includes learners engaging in a range of physical activity, including within water," he added.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Colchester school renamed to recognise connection to historic church
A COLCHESTER primary school has been renamed to recognise its historic connection to a city centre church. St James Church of England Primary School in Guildford Road has changed its name to St James the Great C of England Primary School. The name change recognises the 'longstanding partnership' between the school and its parish church, St James the Great in East Street. A special ceremony was held on July 9 at St James the Great Church being led by Father Jeff Graham who brought together the entire school community in celebration. Readings - Special readings were performed by pupils (Image: Chris Douglas – CD Photography) Children from the school played a central role, and there was also readings and a retelling of the story of St James. The name change also follows a year of significant achievement for the school, including a positive Ofsted outcome. Leadership - (L to R) Headteacher Nicola Emrich, Father Jeff Graham, and Headteacher Lucy Turner (Image: Chris Douglas – CD Photography) Emma Wigmore, chief executive of Vine Schools Trust, said: 'It has been a wonderful year for St James after a great Ofsted outcome earlier in the year. 'It is the ideal time to begin a new chapter as the school becomes St James the Great C of E Primary School, just like their partnered church and patron saint.' Headteachers Nicola Emrich and Lucy Turner added: 'It marks an exciting new era for our pupils, families, and staff, strengthening the link between the school, the church, and the wider community of Colchester.'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
A friend's bullying comment in school haunted my whole life. Then decades later I confronted him on Facebook - and his perverse reaction utterly changed me: MICHELLE BRASIER
Walking home from primary school one scorching hot summer afternoon, my friend turned to me and casually said something that changed the way I saw myself for ever. I was only 12. Levi and I had been friends for three years; we used to ride our bikes together, sharing jokes and exchanging burned CDs full of Britney Spears hits.
BBC News
22-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Knowsley primary 'one of happiest schools ever visited' by Ofsted
Inspectors have described a Merseyside primary school as "one of the happiest" they have ever Primary School in Huyton, Knowsley, has been recognised by Ofsted for ensuring that "kindness is lived out in every aspect of school life".It was also rated "outstanding" for the first time following the inspectors' visit in school's head teacher, Tony James, said: "We sell ourselves as doing our very best for the community and if someone wants to come along and say that we're 'outstanding', that's brilliant." He added: "It's every little thing that you do - every little decision, every choice that you make, the culture that you establish, the expectations that you have, the value that you place on your children and your families."All of those little bits culminate and come together." The school, on Willoughby Road, was described by Ofsted as a place "where pupils flourish".It noted: "The school's value of 'kindness' is lived out in every aspect of school life."Pupils enter school full of smiles and eager for the learning that each new day brings. "They benefit from close relationships with staff, who know them and their families well. Pupils feel safe and happy here."The report also said children enjoy learning "and strive to meet exceptionally high standards... As a result, pupils achieve remarkably well. Behaviour in and around school is impeccable."Knowsley Council's cabinet member for children's services, David Lonergan, described the Ofsted report as "fantastic".He added: "It is very clear that pupils enjoy coming to school to learn and prosper and that all school staff – leaders, teaching staff and governors – play an integral role in helping pupils to thrive. Well done to you all!" Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
