Back to school – Ealing’s newest primary school opens on the Green Man Lane estate
As part of the ongoing regeneration of the Green Man Lane estate in Ealing, the brand-new St John’s primary school has now been handed over to the local authority education department for the pupils to enjoy.
The school, which sits at the heart of the £155m regeneration project was delivered through a joint venture between A2Dominion and Rydon with John Rowan and Partners undertaking the roles of Employer’s Agent, Cost Consultant and CDM Principal Designers.
The new modern school is significantly bigger than the original building and is now able to accommodate three-form entry – previously it was oversubscribed with two-form entry. Today the school boasts places for 600 pupils, 100 nursery aged children and specialist resources for children with Special Education Needs.
Trevor Greenhalgh, Partner at John Rowan and Partners commented on the school opening:
“This school is a great example of just what partnership working can deliver. The Joint Venture between A2Dominion, Rydon and Ealing Council is not only delivering modern housing and a rejuvenated community, but after identifying the opportunity to redevelop the original school building, it has delivered a much-needed modern school to complement the new development and also benefit the wider community.”
“The contemporary design created by Conran and Partners architects provides a great place to learn with rooftop play areas, a sports hall and plenty of natural light and ventilation. It will be a great asset to the area and act as another benchmark for regeneration projects.”
Located adjacent to the original 1970s school, the construction of the new building was undertaken without the need to disrupt the children. On return from their Christmas break, the children and staff were able to head straight into the new building – giving a simple transition into the new school.
As part of the ongoing masterplan for the site, the original school will now be demolished to provide additional new affordable and private homes. When completed the Green Man Lane estate will provide around 770 new homes for the local area with over 400 provided as affordable rent and shared ownership homes by A2Dominion.
Judith Finlay, executive director of children, adults and public health at Ealing Council said:
“I am delighted that the school has opened and will have increased capacity for children in the local area. With an increasing population it is vital that we take every opportunity to make sure there are always enough school spaces for young people across the borough. I would like to thank all of the local residents, families, and council officers for their help in bringing this project to life.”