Millions invested to attract best pupils to Shropshire girls school
Millions of pounds will be pumped into an independent school by an investment company to support expansion plans and help attract pupils from across the globe, it has been revealed.
Adcote School for Girls has agreed a 20-year deal with IQ Education to help pay for more dormitories for boarders.
The Birmingham-based business will also be responsible for delivering pupils from around the world to the school in Little Ness, near Shrewsbury, and has established a new international brand to allow this to happen.
That will involve the establishment of international admissions offices in Birmingham and Beijing.
"This new development, in partnership with IQ Education, is part of our ambitious plans for new capital projects which will further improve the educational experience that the school provides," said headmaster Gary Wright.
"The school's boarding facilities will increase by 180 beds, providing state-of-the art single and twin en-suite rooms, and living areas supported with full Wi-Fi.
"The new buildings on the campus will also include a sports hall and additional teaching and catering space."
Although the partnership announcement has come today, the two parties have already started work, with the international boarding house being the first of a number of buildings built, with further investment in a new sports hall, as well as additional boarding houses and facilities over the next few years.
The boarding house includes two floors which contain 46 en-suite double rooms, common areas and a high speed internet connection. The ground was broken for this development in May this year, with the building scheduled for completion this month.
"This is a very exciting partnership between Adcote and IQ Education," said Mark Fairbrother, managing director of IQ Education.
"We are seeing the start of a multi-million pound investment programme, which will help the school grow and develop significantly in the years to come and help them to attract the best students from Shropshire and around the world.
"We hope that this unique partnership will be the first of a number of business relationships we embark on with schools and colleges throughout the UK, drawing on our strong experience and successful track record in working within international education and showcasing an industry for which Britain is still the envy of the world."
