SCHOOLS
Growing places
St John’s Primary School
recently celebrated
reopening a new,
larger building, reports
Jack Butler.
T
he revamped school in West
Ealing is significantly bigger
and is now able to accept
more pupils, as part of Ealing
Council’s plans to make more places
available for primary school pupils
across the borough.
St John’s will now have a three-form
entry – previously it was oversubscribed
with two-form entry. Today the school
boasts places for 600 pupils, 100 nursery
aged children and specialist resources for
children with special education needs.
To celebrate moving in, the school
put on a show. This included a dance
performance
from year 6,
a play from
reception
and a
musical
performance
as special
guests arrived.
These guests
included mayor
of Ealing, Councillor
Tejinder Dhami; Councillor
Yvonne Johnson, cabinet member for
schools and children’s services; and
Pie Corbett, an educational trainer,
author and poet.
Councillor Johnson said: “It is
important to increase the number of
school places in the borough to meet
the growing
demand for spaces
and, for that reason,
I am delighted that St
John’s will be reopening,
allowing more children into its
classrooms. St John’s opening its doors
to more students really is something that
we can all celebrate.
“I would like to thank all of the
local residents, families, and council
officers for their help in bringing this
regeneration project to life.”
The new building was constructed
next to the old 1970s structure,
meaning there was minimum disruption
to the children. And, when they
returned from their Christmas break,
the pupils and staff were able to head
straight into the new building.
As part of the ongoing masterplan
for the site, the original school will now
be demolished to provide new homes:
Around 770 in total, of which more than
400 will be available for affordable rent
and shared ownership homes.
For a video of the new building,
visit ealingnewsextra.co.uk/
features/st-johns-school-celebrates-
reopening
Councillor Johnson and Ealing mayor Councillor Tejinder Dhami with Pie Corbett and others
at the opening.
around ealing September 2018
23