Chestnut Avenue Primary School, the name of the new North Stoneham Park school has been given the official go ahead by Hampshire County Council’s Regulatory Committee.
Work on the new £6.3 million free school will begin in Spring 2019 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2020. Shortly afterwards, in September, the first intake of new pupils will commence their academic school year at the Park in a 1.5 form entry that will later expand to a two-form entry.
Councillor Stephen Reid, Executive Member for Education and Skills, Human Resources and Performance at Hampshire County Council was quick to highlight the huge benefits the new school will bring to the area.
‘I am very pleased that this project has gone ahead,’ he explained. ‘So we can continue to provide sufficient school places for every Hampshire child. Investing in quality school buildings, that are built to be sustainable, energy efficient and create a motivational environment for learning, is something that we are proud of. Having a significant in-house team of designers, who specialise in school buildings, with years of experience, means that we are able to provide a high standard of facilities.
‘It is hugely important to me that there are places at good quality schools to meet the demand stemming from a rising population of families all over the county. Thanks to our strong track record in planning for the future, we are keeping pace with continued rising demand in Hampshire.’
Chestnut Avenue Primary School, which will be sponsored by the University of Winchester Academy Trust, will be set on two levels that will include 11 classrooms, group working rooms, a library, main hall and a staff room. Outside, superb play areas, including a grass playing field, a bike shelter and scooter park will all be provided for the school’s children to use.
The new school is the first in a series of announcements to be made as the future of the Park’s local centre begins to take shape. To stay abreast of news about developments in and around the Park, follow our news pages on this website.
