Pupils move into new Telford school

This week has seen a phased intake of pupils at the state-of-the art building in Apley Avenue, Wellington.

The site is the latest of nine new school developments that form Telford & Wrekin Council's £200m Building Schools for the Future project.

Shepherd Construction, known as Wates, designed and built six new schools and remodelled three under the programme created as part of efforts to transform secondary education. Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 have moved into their new classrooms at the school which is close to the old building in Severn Drive. A sports hall at the old school will be retained for future community use.

The Severn Drive site opened as a girls' school in 1962 and the last lessons were held there on May 26.

Pupils moved into the new Apley Avenue building in a phased programme earlier this week.

The new Charlton School sits on the site of the former Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College, which in turn closed last year and is now based at the new Holy Trinity Academy in Priorslee.

The Holy Trinity Academy is a joint venture between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury and the Anglican Diocese of Lichfield and has a sixth form.

Telford Priory School, which also cost £16m, opened its doors in September 2015.

Built next to Oakengates Leisure Centre, it replaced the former struggling Wrockwardine Wood Arts Academy and Sutherland Co-operative Academy which were previously put into special measures by Ofsted.

Abraham Darby Academy, in Madeley, and Phoenix Academy, Dawley, which is now called Telford Langley School, have already opened with new facilities and Ercall Wood Technology College, Wellington, opened in September 2014.

Grange Park Primary school is currently being rebuilt on the site of the old Lord Silkin/Lakeside Academy site and will open early 2017.

This school is sponsored by the Community Academies Trust.