New Nursery and Foundation Unit at Haddon Primary & Nursery School in Carlton is a hit with youngster

Trust investment in the building totals £120k for projects over the last year

Haddon Primary & Nursery School children in Carlton are enjoying a new nursery, foundation and year 1 classroom following an £83,000 investment by The Flying High Partnership, the multi-academy Trust the school belongs to.

This brings the total investment in building improvements at the school to £120,000 in the last year alone, funded by the school’s multi academy trust.

Nina Capek is Head Teacher at the school on Haddon Close, off Westdale Lane in Carlton, and she said the space has transformed the school. “Over the past few years, our school has been renovated internally and the final piece in the jigsaw was our nursery, foundation and year 1 classrooms, all now completed. The area looks absolutely beautiful, and is a space our children

are able to enjoy, learn, and thrive in. It really does embody our school motto of Dream Big-Aim High!”

Nina says that the building works have also allowed the school to offer more support to families of the youngest children. “Thanks to the renovations, from January 2023 we will be able to offer 15 and 30-hours provision for 3 and 4-year-olds. This will make a huge difference to our families and from feedback we have already received, we know this will prove a popular additional provision at Haddon.”

Mrs Lucy Bloor is Early Years Foundation Stage Lead at the school, and she said they are looking forward to showing families the new facilities as Foundation Stage admissions open in early November. “We are so excited about the new learning spaces that have been created as part of this building project. Our FS1, FS2 and Year 1 children have all loved exploring and learning in their new classrooms.

“In our new FS2 classroom we have had brand new furniture and resources to help create a welcoming and stimulating learning environment in which to teach, -and one where the children have countless opportunities to learn as they play. The whole project has been a real team effort and we are so very grateful for everyone who has played their part in making it happen.”

A reading area in Foundation Stage 2 has been made extra special by Teaching Assistant, Mrs Annette Sheldon, who painted a wonderful mural in her own time featuring the Gruffalo, enhancing children’s surroundings and helping to promote a love of reading.

Dave Morris is Estates Project & Development Manager at The Flying High Partnership, and he said the building project had two aims. “We wanted to create modern and spacious classrooms for foundation stage two and year one, and to create a separate nursery focused unit allowing the school to offer more nursery places and support 30-hour funding for parents.

“It has been a pleasure to support the school through the design and implementation process and seeing the children enjoying the spaces we have created is the true reward.

“By adding on a small corridor extension and removing many walls, we have been able to achieve these goals within the existing footprint of the school, and even include a shared library and group room. We have also been able to open up light onto the wonderful mural in the foundation stage two classroom, which sparks children’s imagination in the reading area.

“The overall cost came to around £83,000, including extras we invested as the project developed, to ensure the classrooms were modern and bright, creating immersive learning environments for the children at Haddon.”