Peterborough City Council has appointed an academy trust to manage a proposed primary school, which will be located in the upcoming Great Haddon housing development. The new school is projected to serve 420 students. It’s the product of a larger effort to build the critical educational infrastructure needed as their area’s population booms around them.
Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services at Peterborough City Council, said all this made the project vital. “We are committed to ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place to meet the demands of a growing population, which will need additional school places,” she stated.
The Great Haddon development, situated near Peterborough and Yaxley, is set to include over 5,000 homes, with plans indicating a total of 5,350 residences once completed. In addition, the development will have three primary schools and a secondary school. It will include three shopping malls and many sports complexes.
Construction on the new primary school is scheduled to start in late summer 2023. This timeline is contingent upon review by city council planners. The new planners will meet in July to discuss what permissions they will need to proceed. If approved, the new school would likely be ready for students by September 2026.
Dr. Helen Price, speaking on behalf of the academy trust, said they were absolutely sure they could come in and make a positive difference to the community. “From our many years of operating on the Hampton development, we understand how schools can put the heart and soul into new communities,” she noted. She made it clear that their vision for the school was to focus on learning and growth first. At the same time, they are deeply dedicated to creating an inclusive culture. “Our vision is to combine a strong emphasis on learning and progress with an inclusive ethos, which fosters respect, well-being and the rounded development of the whole child.”
Katy Cole equally expressed her confidence in the new academy trust’s ability to provide excellent educational opportunities. “We have good faith in them to run this as a good quality school that will be essential for the township as it grows,” she remarked.
Great Haddon is becoming a diverse, livable community. Local leaders and citizens have high hopes that the new primary school will help attract and retain families and provide children with a stimulating, productive environment for learning.
