Baroness to open new school building

Added: 07/05/2008
Category: Norfolk County Council

Staff and pupils at an east Norfolk primary school are to celebrate the completion of their school's £1m transformation at a special ceremony next week.

The Baroness Shephard of Northwold will visit Filby Primary School at 2pm on Thursday (May 8) to unveil a plaque marking the opening of the new school building. She will be joined by Norfolk County Councillor Michael Carttiss, himself a former pupil at the school.

The project has taken place as part of Norfolk's reorganisation of school's in the Martham area. Since September the school has changed status from a first school to a primary and the development supports the school's growing capacity. The school has been converted from an aging Victorian first school, catering for pupils aged five to eight, to a modern primary school for five to 11-year-olds.

Much of Filby's old school building has been demolished to make way for new facilities. A major, single storey extension has been built, including a new hall and three new classrooms. The hall can be used for dance, drama and gym lessons and for assemblies and meals.

The remainder of the old building has been remodelled to provide a library, computer suite, new offices and a new staff room.

Rosalie Monbiot, Norfolk County Council Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: “Filby has been completely transformed and I am thrilled to see what a difference this is making to pupils and staff.

“The project is one of dozens across the county to provide new and improved buildings for our school children and teachers. These fantastic new learning environments will help inspire pupils to succeed.”

Norfolk County Council is investing more than £200m in improving school facilities across the county. Projects include the removal of mobiles, the extension and refurbishment of schools and the development of new schools and school buildings.

The Filby project has been led by NPS Property Consultants Ltd, with Kier Eastern the construction partner.

Margaret Baker, headteacher at Filby Primary School, said: "We all feel it is a joy to be able to teach our pupils in state of the art buildings. They are already making a huge difference to our pupils and staff.

“The children have been so excited watching their new school be built and they are thrilled to have now moved in.”

Dennis Cotton, Director of the Kier Eastern Norwich, said: "Kier Eastern is extremely honoured to have been given the opportunity to work on a project that promises to benefit the children of Filby for generations to come.

"We are proud of our association with the local education sector, having completed works for both the Norwich Schools Private Finance Initiative and the Norfolk County Council Framework.”