School welcomes its first pupils

GIVE us a wave . . . the Northmoor Academy Year 2 class with teacher Charlotte Brown

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IT WASN'T just the first day of term yesterday for pupils and staff at one Oldham primary school ­- it was the first day ever.

They were the first through the doors of the new £7.5 million Northmoor Academy in Rochdale Road, Coldhurst.

Built on the the site of the former Grange Secondary School, it is run by Harmony Trust which already operates Alt, Greenhill, Richmond and Westwood primaries.

Jessica Hainsworth, executive principal of Northmoor and Richmond academies, said: "It's fabulous.

"We are delighted to be opening a brand new school right in the centre of Oldham.

"We believe that the children deserve the best education and what drives us is educational excellence.

Vibrant

"The parents are delighted and have been very impressed with the school.

"We were giving tours to parents and families all last week and they have had nothing but praise.

"The staff were also in last week getting the school ready and making it vibrant and inspiring for the children.

"We will be working very hard over the whole year, and especially the first few weeks, to develop a real sense of community and a positive ethos for the children.

"We are looking forward to building strong partnerships with our children, parents and the whole community."

The school will meet the demand for more primary school places in Oldham.

Around 197 pupils from reception class through to Year 6 were due to start yesterday ­- just short of its maximum capacity of 210 for this year ­- plus nursery children.

Over time it will expand to have three forms in each year to cater for 630 pupils, as well as 60 in the nursery.

Excitement

The school was built from 96 modular units transported from Ireland and facilities include a practical science room, an outdoor theatre and a synthetic pitch.

Ms Hainsworth, who was previously principal at Richmond, said: "It was a nervous excitement yesterday morning and my first assembly to the children was about what we can build together . . . an excellent school."

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