£5.5 million new school welcomes pupils
Released: 10 September 2007
Wolverhampton primary pupils were today settling into their brand new £5.5million school. The new-look Rakegate Primary, in Renton Road, Oxley, is only the second school to be built in the city in the last 30 years.
Today was the day its 420 pupils had been waiting for, as they returned after the summer holidays and could finally explore their new surroundings. Children at Rakegate have returned to school a week later than their counterparts across the city because last week was taken up with the mammoth task of unpacking and turning an empty building into a functioning school.
The new Rakegate joins together the infants and juniors in one building on the site of the old juniors. Previously the school was split across two separate sites.
The project has been funded by the Government, Wolverhampton City Council and the school itself. The building includes an eye-catching central atrium, a nursery, dance studio, sports hall, community facilities, an exciting range of outdoor play facilities and an environmental walkway. It also houses a children’s centre which will provide childcare and health services to the local community.
Pupils and staff were involved with the design of the school and each class was able to choose their own colour scheme.
The school was constructed by West Midlands-based Morgan Ashhurst (formerly Bluestone) and was built with environmentally friendly materials and has energy saving features.
Councillor Christine Irvine, Wolverhampton City Council cabinet member for schools, who is also a governor of Rakegate and a local ward councillor, said: “I have been involved with this immensely exciting project from the beginning and I’m absolutely delighted with the new school.
“During the past year, while the works have progressed, it has not been easy for staff or children, but everyone has pulled together and it has been very satisfying watching the new building take shape.
“The builders have been super and helped everything to go smoothly. I know that the new building will help improve learning outcomes for the children in the area whilst the children's centre will be open to the community and offer a range of services to local families.”
Steve Harris, headteacher of Rakegate Primary, said: “It has been absolutely marvellous seeing the faces of the children coming through the doors today. This is their school and what we now have at Rakegate is a first-class facility which offers them real opportunities for the future. This is not only a purpose-built modern school, but also a facility for the whole community to make use of.”
Issued by the press office.