North Tyneside’s newest state-of-the-art school has been officially opened by the Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn.
Children, their families, teaching staff and VIP guests all joined in the celebrations at Whitehouse Primary School in North Shields today (Wednesday 12 October).
With its beautiful bright and airy classrooms, a learning resource centre, multi-purpose hall with stage lighting, a community room, multi-use games area; lots attractive landscaped outside space and a fantastic Early Years Unit with provision for two-year-olds, the £3million school is very impressive.
As she unveiled the plaque, Norma Redfearn said: “I am extremely proud of all our children and young people in North Tyneside. Every single one of them is special and deserves the very best education.
“This is a wonderful new school and I’m honoured to have been asked to officially open it. I must thank everyone who has worked so hard to make it possible; the Education Funding Agency, council officers, construction partner Sir Robert McAlpine, the dedicated staff and of course the fantastic children and their families who have been eagerly watching the building being built over the past two years and tell me how excited they are by their beautiful new school.”
Whitehouse School has been serving the community for more than 50 years and the new school has been built in the same grounds as the old one. It has been created under a national scheme to rebuild schools across the country that have the greatest need. Money for the programme has come from the Department for Education’s Education Funding Agency, with a contribution from North Tyneside Council.
Headteacher Rachel Woods added: “Our school motto is ‘Believe in Yourself’ and everyone at Whitehouse Primary School loves their new school. Our children have a fantastic future ahead of them starting on the first day they come into our nursery. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has worked together to create such a fabulous school – it really is the very best.”
Award-wining actor Charlie Hardwick – better known as Emmerdale’s Val Pollard – also joined in the celebrations. The Wallsend-born star said she was ‘very impressed’ by the wonderful new school and urged all the children to love their learning and uphold their school motto of believing in themselves.
The school now caters for 210 pupils and has a 26-place nursery, including provision for two-year-olds. It now also has breakfast and after school clubs, parent and toddler groups, it is a member of the Learning Trust, has a partnership with John Spence High School, works with North Tyneside School Centred Initial Teaching Training (SCITT) programme and also has links with Durham University.
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