Grand Opening of our new modular building
Arbour Vale School was delighted to officially open its brand-new modular building which has been constructed on the school site to add an additional four classrooms and provide places for 32 additional children with Special Educational Needs.
Staff from the school were joined by representatives from Slough Borough Council, Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, Governors, members of the school community and the contractors who had all been involved in commissioning the building and making sure it was delivered to a very high standard for the benefit of the pupils at Arbour Vale School.
The building was designed and built with its pupils in mind; it is a single storey construction, clad in wood. It houses four bright and airy classrooms that have been fitted with the latest technology to meet the sensory needs of the learners including air conditioning and smart screens. There are also washrooms and a dedicated outside play area for the children to give them space and security for the benefit of their learning.
Neil Sykes, principal of Arbour Vale School, welcomed visitors to the event and thanked all those who had helped turn the concept of the building into a reality. He said children had already moved in and were enjoying the new building and settling in well.
Councillor Dexter J. Smith, Leader of Slough Borough Council, said “This is a partnership project and we were lucky to find a partner in Arbour Vale School who were willing to step up to the challenges of doing something very significant in a short time scale. I would like to thank the principal, the whole staff, governors, the Trust and staff from Slough Borough Council who have helped to make this project a success.”
John Prior, CEO of OHC&AT, said “It’s a real privilege to see what goes on here and to extend it further. Our strategy is to grow our good and outstanding provisions like Arbour Vale School and build on what we have already got because that’s a sensible way to meet the needs of our local community and our learners. Facilities like these make it easier, so we are incredibly grateful for the support.”
Dr John Wise, chair of the Arbour Vale local governing body, thanked staff and the leadership team for being so supportive of the project and said everyone should be rightly proud of the end result.
After the ribbon was pulled, guests toured the classrooms and spoke to teachers. There was also an opportunity to meet Berkshire Birds of Prey, who work with pupils in school every week.
