Aerial photo of the school site in March 2016
NEW SCHOOL FOR POUNDBURY
This time next year Damers First School will be built , open and have scores of local children walking through the doors each day . Headteacher Catherine Smith shares her hopes for the new school
It ’ s been three years in planning but the new school is finally being built and as far as the plans go , it looks stunning . For Catherine Smith one of her main priorities is that the school maintains its ethos despite the fact the school will increase in size considerably . “ We love our school ,” she says . “ Our ethos , curriculum , children will all stay the same . At the moment we are able to deliver this really well despite the physical restraints of the current school so the move is an exciting one and will certainly be an enhancement .” The current restraints of the school on Damers Road have had the knock-on effect of having to teach classes outside in portacabins . The new school will offer more space for the pupils and therefore the pupil numbers will rise from 450 to 600 in the first five years . The additional 150 places will go to both children within Poundbury and the surrounding area , turning it into a four-form entry school . The pupils will move into their new school in the North East Quadrant in February 2017 . Speaking about the increase in numbers ,
Mrs Smith says : “ We will be going up by one form , however we ’ ve always known that the number of families in Poundbury and Dorchester is growing so we need to offer these additional spaces .” As well as brand new learning spaces the school will boast a music studio , more group rooms , a sensory room and a purpose built base for children who have more complex learning needs . Plans for the school show a glass fronted
Oscar & Harvey lay the first bricks at the new school in April
reception area , a predominantly single-storey building but with a doublestorey height school hall . To ensure the feel and quality of the Poundbury development the building will be finished with Portland stone window surrounds , ornate columns and wall buttresses to help integrate into its surroundings . There will be a courtyard in the middle with play areas , lots of green spaces , with the
22 WWW . CELEBRATINGPOUNDBURY . CO . UK