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Nov 2020

Last Updated: 04/11/2020

Education

Ripon schools complete £1.5m merger

by Calvin Robinson

| 05 Nov, 2020

A £1.5 million project to merge two schools in Ripon has been completed. The Moorside infants and junior schools will now be opened on one site.

Children using some of the new outdoor facilities at Moorside Primary School and Nursery

Two Ripon schools have merged as part of a £1.5 million project.

Funded by North Yorkshire County Council, the scheme has brought together Moorside infant and junior schools onto one site.

The project involved refurbishment of classrooms, cloakrooms, toilets and a construction of a new workspace extension for pupils and staff.

It comes after county council bosses gave the go-ahead last March for the two sites to merge into one primary school and nursery.

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Authority officials said there are plans for an opening event when it is feasible to do so.

Claire Rowett, headteacher at Moorside school, said the outcome of the project was “exceptional”.

She said:

“The most rewarding part is seeing our children happily learning in a safe and stimulating environment, where they will grow and develop from when they begin in our Nursery up to when they leave in Year six, ready for secondary.

“We are already seeing the positive impact of our continuous and consistent approaches in providing high quality teaching and learning for our pupils, as one school community.

“Both during and after the completion of the building work, our governors and staff team - and their families - have voluntarily invested hours into setting up our fabulous new provision, and I will be forever grateful to them for sharing our vision, and being part of what has been a memorable journey to success.

“We have also appreciated a great deal of support from our wider community, including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and other locally-based businesses, who have also kindly donated their time and resources.

“We just can’t wait to be able to welcome previous and current members of our school and their families to see the transformation, when covid restrictions are lifted. We feel very excited about the future.”

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for schools said:

“This development has benefited so many children and families in the Ripon area.

“It’s enabled the creation of a newly refurbished school with specially-designed spaces to inspire children and help them achieve their potential with the extra resources and facilities available.”

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Ripon schools complete £1.5m merger

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