Fords of Blythe Bridge has successfully completed the design and build of a major expansion project at Springfields First School in Yarnfield near Stone, providing much-needed additional school places for the new school year.
The Ofsted-rated outstanding first school has seen increased demand for pupil places as a result of its high-quality teaching and also due to growth of the village. Construction works have provided an extra 75 places for pupils to help meet this demand.
The three-class extension to the main school enables the school to provide two reception classes, three KS1 classes and three KS2 classes. In addition, the extension to the existing nursery block supports the provision of an Early Year Hub, delivering education and care for children from two to four years, and providing for 30 hours of free childcare-funded places.
Internally, the three classbases have been designed and built to be bright and airy, opening out directly onto the adjoining playground and playing fields and maximising natural light from the outdoor space. All classrooms feature resource and wet areas and an integrated teaching wall to maximise the use of storage and space and support broad curriculum needs.
The school now also has additional administration and office areas, a staff room with kitchenette and a school library and reading break-out area also located within the new-build extension, and also two fully refurbished WC areas for both boys and girls.
Externally, the attractive design features a palette of render panels, brickwork and Western Red cedar cladding, with anthracite grey windows and a lightweight metal roof. Bowtop fencing was installed to provide a secure play area for pupils within the school site, and a programme of groundworks was also carried out to improve traffic flow and provide additional car parking spaces for staff and visitors to the school.
Alison Bagnall, Headteacher at the school commented: “These fantastic new facilities have brought significant benefit not just to the school but also the wider community, in terms of enhanced nursery and wraparound care provision for local families, and also enable us to provide additional, much-needed school places to local children, allowing them to walk to school and be educated alongside their friends.”
“Because of the outstanding education we provide, and our fun, purposeful and challenging curriculum, we have seen significant demand for school places not only from Yarnfield itself but also neighbouring, villages, and from Stone, Eccleshall and Tittensor. We’re delighted that this major extension enables us to open our doors to many more pupils.”
