Leighton school expands to meet demand

Old and young gathered at a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a Leighton Buzzard lower school expansion project.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th May 2016, 15:37 BST
Updated 5th May 2016, 16:42 BST
Leedon Lower expansionLeedon Lower expansion
Leedon Lower expansion

Work has been taking place to create a new classroom block at Leedon Lower School, in Highfield Road, as well as a new library, hall extension and a food technology room.

It has now been officially opened by the youngest and oldest pupils at the school, Kacey Sheffield and Alfie Turney, and the youngest and oldest members of staff, Jodie Baines and Pat Hazel.

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Central Bedfordshire Council chairman Councillor David Bowater and Executive Member for Education and Skills Cllr Mark Versallion also helped to cut the ribbon.

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Leedon Lower expansionLeedon Lower expansion
Leedon Lower expansion

They were joined by pupils, parents, staff, governors - including ward member Cllr Amanda Dodwell - and other invited guests for the ceremony.

Cllr Versallion said: “I am delighted that this superb new classroom block has been completed so quickly and been handed over to the school well before the new academic year. It means that Leedon Lower is able to accommodate all children who applied for a starting school place in September.

“Expansion schemes at good schools like this are vital if we are to keep up with the pace of demand for places in popular places to live like Leighton Buzzard – and our admissions figures show we are well on track.

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“It means that more children are able to attend a good local school on their doorstep’.

Leedon Lower expansionLeedon Lower expansion
Leedon Lower expansion

Leedon headteacher Richard Benson said: “It is great to have the new classrooms for Key Stage 2 to enjoy.

“We also now have a Spanish room where all children across the school receive ‘immersive’ Spanish once a week and a high-tech food technology room where last week the Year 3 children were making Thai fried rice.”

The new facility, which has six classrooms, means that the school can now accommodate an extra 150 pupils. It takes the capacity of the school to 450 children – as well as a further 60 in the pre-school.

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For more information about the council’s New School Places programme, which will see more than £100million invested to create 6,500 places over a five-year period to 2017, visit http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/school/organisation/programme.aspx

Related topics:WorkLeighton Buzzard