Scarborough primary school celebrates opening of new school after Covid restrictions caused delays

Overdale Primary School in Eastfield, Scarborough, opened to pupils in September, but due to Covid the primary postponed their official opening celebrations until restrictions had fully ended.

This week that celebration took place, before an audience of children, parents, governors, local councillors and other guests.

Children from different year groups helped cut the green ribbons at the entrance of the purpose-built facility and provided a concert at the front of the building. It included singing the “Overdale Song”, written by children about the school’s “Three Rs” of respect, responsibility and resilience.

The new building has an emphasis on flexible use of space and outdoor learning, with a building designed to provide maximum air and light into classrooms.

It is fitted with ventilation monitoring systems in all classrooms was designed to take account of staff wishes for spacious classrooms and a hall fit for whole-school events.

School meals are a critical part of the school day and the central hall is big enough to allow all the children to sit down together and enjoy a meal at lunchtime.

The building also includes more flexible break out areas for small group learning interventions.

Outdoors are two football pitches, a rounders pitch and one-mile running track, along with an environmental area and quite place with bug hotels, logs and other features.

The school has double the capacity of the old building on its former site and its new location provides a link between the older parts of Eastfield and the new housing developments in Middle Deepdale to the north.

North Yorkshire County Council opened this new landmark school at the beginning of the school year to provide places for up to 420 children plus a nursery and community facilities.

Overdale’s Chair of Governors, Peter Bowdidge-Harling, helped children with the ribbon cutting at the opening ceremony this week.

He has served on the school’s governing body for 22 years and has been chair for 18-years. He said the creation of the new school building had been a huge achievement involving many different people and organisations over the past decade and would benefit children’s wellbeing, attendance, learning and attainment.

Headteacher Vicki Logan, said the building fit perfectly with the needs of the school and its children.

“It is a truly fantastic building,” she said. “I’m really grateful to the architects and builders, Walter Thompson, they allowed me to have such a big say in the design, it’s pretty much perfect in terms of what we wanted the building to do.

“There were many challenges along the way with Covid and other issues impacting building, but the result is amazing. From the smaller details - such as not having toilets for early years and Key Stage 1 on the corridor, but next to the classroom so you don’t have five-year-olds wondering corridors on their own - to features such as an amazing outdoor space. It makes it a learning space for children.”

The project has been funded jointly through county council capital funds and contributions from the housing developers Kebbell Homes and Keepmoat Ltd. The principal contractors were Walter Thompson Ltd and the design consultants Align Property Partners.

Executive Member for Education and Skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said: “We’re pleased Overdale Primary School were able to have a day to celebrate their fantastic new school.

“This new facility will allow children in Scarborough to explore their potential and allow staff to support and inspire pupils in their learning.”