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The
pupils at Grampound Road Village Church Of England School are looking
forward to the Summer Term.
Not
only will there be more sports outside, but it will all take place
at their brand new school.
The
youngsters will move into the new building around April 2003. The
school is a lifetime apart from the old building where the children
currently spend their days, but only a stone's throw away based
at the edge of the village.
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| The
present school in Grampound Road village |
"The
old school was built in 1892 and was originally a church with a
school room," says Mrs Uden. "It was used as a church until fairly
recently when the room was turned into another classroom for the
school."
At
the moment Mrs Uden's office is like a box room, add to this the
fact that the room doubles up as the secretary's office!
"We
will have new classrooms and the children will be able to look out
of windows too," smiles Mrs Uden. "There will be a head's office,
secretary's office, staffroom, IT suite, library and much more."
Although
Mrs Uden and the teachers are looking forward to moving to a brand
new school, they have enjoyed their years in the old building.
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| Mrs
Uden teaches the children |
"I
have become very attached to the building," says Mrs Uden.
"There is a certain ethos here. The children have always pulled
together to overcome any difficulties the buildings have thrown
at them. I think sometimes they have managed to overcome them better
than we have!"
Mrs
Uden has taught in some of Cornwall's bigger Primaries, but says
she prefers life at a village school.
"I
would say being headteacher of a village school allows you to be
a much bigger part of the community," says Mrs Uden. "You
know the parents very well and you develop a certain rapport with
the children that I dont think you get in the bigger schools."
The
children may not have moved into their new school yet, but they
are able to see the day to day building work. The new building is
at the edge of Grampound Road village, a matter of metres from the
present school.
"There's
not very much space at the school at the moment," says Calum,
a pupil at Grampound Road Village School.
"We
have only one small room for the computer and equipment. We've got
very small classrooms too. I am looking forward to having a school
hall and the new classrooms."
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| The
stained glass window is popular with the children at the school |
"I
do like the stained glass window that we have in one of the classrooms,"
says Stephanie, another pupil.
"I
am looking forward to playing football and other games. The hall
in the new school will be good to have too. I do like the old school
though."
Kathleen
Bowman is a senior teacher at Grampound Road and has been at the
school for 14 years. She is looking forward to moving to the new
building but admit it is something that has been discussed for a
long time!
"My
first memory was being taken down to see the new school site,"
remembers Mrs Bowman. "I remember thinking how lovely it would
be to soon be in a new building. Fourteen years later it is about
to happen. It has been worth the wait though."
The
new £1 million school, which has been designed by architect John
Tanner, from The Bazeley Partnership based in St Austell, is being
built by contractors John Nicholls Limited, of St Agnes.
The
new building will include four classrooms , a hall and a computer
suite, with attractive grounds and playing fields. It is due to
open in April 2003.
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