Hook Norton Primary School grows to meet demands

Stella Belgrove, Scott Orchard, Fatima Hafiz, Iris Fledderus, Cavan Tanner adn Luke Adams, Front Fenton Bayliss, Imogen Muller, Ella Moulder and Barney Hollingdale NNL-170117-141249001

The new additions have been added to all areas of the school’s existing building and will increase pupil capacity from 210 to 315.

This includes an increase in the reception class from 30 to 45 children, two new keystone one classrooms and a redeveloped outdoor play area.

Stella Belgrove, headteacher, said: “We’ve already got an extra class this year and an additional teacher this year and that will be rolled out year on year.”

Plans for the expansion to meet the growing needs of not only Hook Norton but also the surrounding villages within its catchment area have been in the pipeline since Mrs Belgrove started at the school some 14 years ago.

Mr’s Belgrove said: “We’ve always been a really over subscribed school, we’ve always been really popular.

“At times we’ve had to turn people away who wanted to come here out of catchment but now we can accommodate more children. We can cater to local needs, not just Hook Norton but outlying villages too.”

The outdoor adventure play area that can be reached from the reception classroom has been funded by the school. The additional classrooms however have been financed by a local housing developments a part of the planning approval process.

Mr’s Belgrove said: “It’s been funded by the 106 money from the developers as part of the agreed contribution. It’s from Taylor Wimpey and AC Lloyd.”

The new spacious classrooms offer a relaxed and modern day learning space with access to almost all 21st century learning tools including interactive whiteboards.

At an open afternoon last Friday, the reception class was a roomy hive of activity as children new to the classroom environment learned letters of the alphabet, painted or played learning games.

Looking at the new additions to the school were parents, parish councillors, the developers and members of the board of governors.

Scott Orchard, chair of governors, said: “They are a fantastic addition. They’re really good, useful, very well constructed and offers a lot of very useful learning space.

He added: “It’s filled to 1.5 entry and you wonder with the developments whether it will, at some point become a two form with the increase in the number of houses in the village.”