Kids will have fun in new £8m school
BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk
Parents, children, staff and governors have come together to celebrate the completion of a school’s £8million new buildings.
Grange Primary School in Webb Street, Bermondsey has been remodelled as part of Southwark council’s school expansion programme to create 3,000 additional school places across the borough. The school underwent a complete renovation of the existing Victorian buildings with new classrooms, an early years playground and a brand new building.
The new building has a school hall, kitchen, a nursery, library and offices.
Each year group has a wing on each floor of the school. Each wing has two dedicated main classrooms for each form and then a shared classroom, along with cloakrooms and bathrooms. The nursery and reception classrooms incorporates creative play and calm areas.
The school now has 60 places in its reception class and two classes in every teaching year.
At the heart of the new school building is the double height Albert McKenzie Hall, named after a local First World War hero which doubles as a meeting place for the school and dining room.
Outdoor space is intended to provide the school with a resource that will enhance the teaching, learning and play opportunities for all members of the school community.
Co-headteacher Maddy Webb said: “I know I speak for the whole Grange community when I say that we are all thrilled with the work that has been done on the school and we thank everyone involved for their commitment to improving opportunities for Southwark children.”
Diana Valcheva co-headteacher, said: “I want to echo the points Maddy made and say that the new
development of the school is fantastic.
“We are thrilled our children will be able to enjoy the exciting and stimulating learning environment .”
Cabinet member for children and education, Councillo Victoria Mills said: “It is great to see another one of the schools that we have invested in as part of our expansion programme welcome children back into their renovated classrooms.
“It has been fantastic to hear from parents, teachers and the children about how the improvements to the school have had such a positive impact on school life already.”