90 children look forward to starting school in Broadclyst

Broadclyst Community Primary School (BCPS) will welcome 60 new children to its reception class in September, and its sister school, Westclyst Community Primary School (WCPS) will gain 30 reception pupils.

The announcement of this week’s allocation of primary school places has confirmed that the very popular BCPS was once again oversubscribed. However, Cornerstone Academy Trust, which runs both schools and is currently building a permanent base for WCPS at nearby Hillside Gardens, is accepting another 30 children, across two reception classes, in extended temporary accommodation at the Broadclyst site.

CEO and Headteacher Jonathan Bishop commented: “We are looking forward to welcoming all the children to their first school in September. We are very grateful to the National Trust in allowing the very well-appointed temporary WCPS classrooms in the grounds of BCPS. Not only do these give the builders time to construct the permanent school at Westclyst, but they also mean that the reception and year 1 children can enjoy the facilities of a large and well-equipped school in the meantime.”

The Trust has worked hard to ensure that parking and traffic in Broadclyst are not affected by temporarily housing two schools on the same site: “We have reduced the school traffic in Broadclyst by running two bus services that take approximately 60 children out of their cars,” explains Mr Bishop. “A further bus in our fleet next academic year will mean that we are taking more children out of the parking requirement than the total number who are in the WCPS temporary accommodation, so there is no additional impact on traffic and parking.”

The permanent WCPS school building will open at Hillside Gardens in September 2018.