Turf-cutting ceremony takes place at site of new East Devon school

The construction of the brand-new Westclyst Community Primary School (WCPS) building at Hillside Gardens, Westclyst was marked with an official turf cutting ceremony at the site on 5 November 2018.

Local councillors, school governors, the headteacher, members of the teaching staff and pupils from the school attended the event, together with representatives of Galliford Try (GT), the contractors building the school.

Part of the Cornerstone Academy Trust, WCPS opened in 2016; the first three intakes of children have been accommodated in purpose-built temporary classrooms at Broadclyst Community Primary School (BCPS), the Ofsted-outstanding school from which the Trust developed, two miles away. The new building is due to open in September 2019.

Mark Wusthoff, GT Area Director, welcomed the youngsters from Year 2 to the site of their new school, and said: “This is our passion, and we’re going to make a massive difference to the children’s lives in the future. The building has begun. Now we are looking forward to the handover next summer.”

During a short reception at BCPS following the site visit, Jonathan Bishop, Headteacher and CEO of the Cornerstone Academy Trust showed some visuals of the school building and detailed classroom design, thanking David Pittard from the Education and Skills Funding Agency for his patience while all the details were set in place. He explained that the children who took part in the turf cutting were part of the first year group whose parents chose WCPS to begin their education, and added: “As at BCPS, where the dream of the new school began, at WCPS we will be using digital technology to enhance learning opportunities as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.”

Henry Massey, the Academy’s Chair of Trustees, commented: “We are very grateful to all those who have worked with us over the past three years to get to this point. Together with Devon County Council, East Devon District Council, Broadclyst Parish Council, the Department for Education and Galliford Try, we are making sure that WCPS is right, now, and is fit for the future. This will be a new school in the heart of the community.”

As extensive house building continues in this area east of Exeter, the Cornerstone Academy Trust is due to open another primary school to support the new community at Monkerton in 2020.