'Fantastic day' for new Shrewsbury primary school's first pupils

Some 27 excited children, aged four and five, and their happy parents turned up for the first day at the nursery and reception classes at Bowbrook Primary School.

Headteacher Sam Aiston, a former player at Shrewsbury Town FC, said: "It was a really great start, the children were buzzing and all the parents were really happy with the new school.

"We are all loving being part of a family team and creating a new school's culture. It is a unique opportunity for all of us."

Bowbrook Primary and a SEND school that is run by The Keystone Academy were built on the site off Squinter Pip Way, in Shrewsbury, in record time. Built from a modular plan, the building work started in April 2023, and was handed over earlier this week.

Parents were given goodie bags, there was a tour of the site and Mr Aiston took his first assembly before the youngsters got to try out the new multi-use games area. Lots of fun was had with water, and the children brought in books about the journeys their shoes take.

And as one of the school staff is also a master baker, the pupils left the site with a special piece of Bowbrook cake to round off their first day.

The school is planning trips to a safari park and a pumpkin farm among many other experiences. A music teacher was also set to start on Friday.

Bowbrook Primary is the flagship of The 3-18 Education Trust, which has moved into offices on the second floor.

The school will also be holding an open day from 1pm on Saturday, September 30. Everyone in the community has been invited to go along.

Bowbrook and the special needs school next door were built for a total of £17 million from the Department for Education.

The primary school is planned to grow from 27 pupils in the first year to fill the current building’s 210 capacity, with the possibility that it could expand to 400 pupils eventually. There will be two classes per year group entry, with 30 spaces currently in reception classes and 26 in nurseries.