A LOCAL trust will take on the running of a new primary school currently being built in Lichfield, it has been confirmed.
The facility is being built to meet increased demand in the future for places from the nearby St John’s Grange and Cricket Lane housing developments.
It will eventually accommodate 210 students and will open in 2026 under the Primitas Learning Partnership.
The group already runs schools in the area such as Erasmus Darwin Academy, The Friary School, Ridgeway Primary Academy, Holly Grove Primary Academy and Highfields Primary Academy.
Mark Maydew, CEO of Primitas Learning Partnership, said:
“It is a real honour to have been given the opportunity to open a free school which will serve such a fantastic community.
“Our trust has a clear and crucial mission – to ensure that all children and young people receive the kind of education that they need and deserve. And we are incredibly excited about furthering our mission in Lichfield.
“Ever since Primitas was formed, we have been determined to function as a close-knit family of schools. And we cannot wait to start helping our new school grow, flourish and succeed.”
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for education, Cllr Jonathan Price, said:
“This school is essential to ensure that there are enough places for pupils in the Lichfield area. lt has been in the planning stages for a number of years, to enable us to mitigate the impact of new housing developments.
“Primitas already runs a number of very successful primary and secondary schools in the Lichfield and Burntwood area, and I look forward to seeing how this new school will develop.”
The school is currently without a name, so the trust is inviting people to put forward suggestions via its website.
This is not on the site where the house construction is. In fact the busy main roads make access quite difficult.
I suppose it was part of the deal from the developers. It is a token of the far greater needs such large new housing sites need. It is sad that those pulling the strings in the planning department cannot see the damage they are doing. The mantra should be “No development without infrastructure and facilities.” Too late for that now. Lichfield continues to slide into obscurity.