School opens long-awaited new classroom
A SCHOOL has finally got a new classroom – more than two years after the project had looked set to collapse.
Staff and students at Ponsbourne St Mary’s Primary School in Newgate Street were joined by the Bishop of Hertford, the Rt Rev Christopher Foster, for the opening of the long-awaited and much-needed facility.
The celebrations were in stark contrast to two-and-a-half years ago, when pupils, staff and parents descended on County Hall in Hertford to protest to Hertfordshire County Council after it pulled a �250,000 grant to build the classroom at the last minute.
The council said at the time the cash had been withdrawn because it had not received a large enough increase in funding from the Government. But after years of pressure, the council finally stumped up the money needed to build the classroom, to the delight of campaigners.
Ponsbourne St Mary’s head Tracy Gaiteri said: “We’ve needed a new classroom for eight years.
You may also want to watch:
“It’s been a long journey, but a very worthwhile one.
“This will make a huge difference to our school. Every class now has a classroom. Before, we had to teach a class of children in a conservatory which was supposed to be for a small group of children with special needs.”
Most Read
- 1 Man suffers fractured skull and bleed on the brain after pub assault
- 2 Preparation works under way for Stonehills revamp
- 3 Is the era of face-to-face GP appointments over in Hertfordshire?
- 4 What to do if you see these hazardous caterpillars in a park
- 5 Planning application submitted for 173-space car park and mobile café at park
- 6 The latest court results for Welwyn Hatfield and Potters Bar
- 7 'These heroes deserve a proper pay rise' - Demonstration of support for NHS workers to be held outside New QEII
- 8 Parents thank school for going 'above and beyond' to include children who had to shield for over a year
- 9 Volunteering is the name of the game at Panshanger Park
- 10 Pregnant woman jailed for more than two years for killing cyclist
She added: “We’ve had a really good year as a school.
“We’ve had an excellent Ofsted report this year, and now this. We’re all really, really happy.”