New Church School for Peterborough

A ceremonial ground breaking ceremony for a new Peterborough Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School will be led by the Bishop of Ely, Rt Rev Stephen Conway, on Wednesday 9th November (10.00).

The school, for the Cardea development at South Stanground, will be called St Michael’s and will be a school for the community with a Christian ethos, which will have strong links with the other primary schools in the area.

It will be the first new primary school for the Diocese of Ely in Peterborough since 1980 and will be initially for 210 pupils and also a nursery provision.

The school has worked with Peterborough City Council to provide an innovative design of building, which will also include designated community facilities.

The school will open its doors to pupils from September 2012. Jackie Ashley has been appointed as the new head teacher and will be working over the coming months with the already established temporary governing body, the Diocese and Peterborough City Council in the setting up of the provision.

The school has been designed by local architects Peter Smith Associates, who have worked with the Diocese on numerous projects over many years, most recently at St Augustine’s Junior School at Woodston in Peterborough.

The contract for building the school was won by E. Bowman and Son of Stamford. 

Bishop Conway said today: “It is a privilege and a joy for me to be involved in the physical beginning of this school. I am sure that under Jackie’s leadership and in partnership with the parish, the school will be a huge asset across the community. In partnership with everyone, goodwill will be our watch word.”

Director of Education, Canon Tim Elbourne, added: “This exciting project expresses our commitment to serving new communities across the Diocese as they develop. We value the whole person, both academically and spiritually, and seek the very best for children, young people and their families. The school will be for everyone and this is an important step into turning that vision into reality for the people of the Cardea development.’

2nd November 2011