The Learning Academy Partnership, with construction partner Midas Construction, have begun the process of refurbishing the old Tower House School site, for their new primary school, St Michael’s Church of England Academy.
The new school, which will welcome reception and nursery age pupils, is set to open in September 2021 to fulfil the need for more school places in the Paignton area.
Construction on the site has begun and a dedicated Midas team is busy preparing the building for a full refurbishment process. This includes erecting scaffolding, soft strip demolition and removal of overgrown vegetation. This is the beginning of a lengthy process which will see some of the beautiful period features of the building restored for the grand opening in September 2021.
Admissions for the school opened this month and the Trust are hosting virtual open day events in place of the usual open days that would take place outside of a COVID-19 context. Details of these events can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/learning-academy-partnership-31639401255.
The school will be led by Mrs Edwards, who is currently the Head of All Saints Marsh Church of England Academy, another of the Trust’s schools. Mrs Edwards will bring over 20 years teaching experience to St Michael’s, as well as expertise as an Early Years Specialist Leader in Education, having supported Early Years provision in schools and nurseries across the South West. This will enable St Michael’s to provide pupils with a first class, diverse curriculum and a holistic approach to education.
This school is part of the Learning Academy Partnership, one of the leading Multi Academy Trusts in the South West. St Michael’s will be the Trust’s 10th school and will become part of the family of schools which benefit from best practice sharing, and a strong central leadership team who support all the schools.
The Learning Academy Partnership provides a first-class education to its pupils across the South West, and has done so since it was founded eight years ago. The Trust is rated the best academy Trust in the country for the performance of disadvantaged children and in the Top 10 Trusts nationally for the progress that children make.
For details about a place at St Michael’s Church of England Academy, Paignton, visit the website: https://stmichaels-lap.co.uk/
Mrs Edwards, the newly appointed Head of St Michael’s Church of England Academy, said:
“We are delighted that building works are able to continue safely throughout the lockdown period and are excited to see progress being made on the site. This brand new school in Paignton will provide parents with a school which is passionate about education and children’s learning and development. St Michael’s is supported by the Learning Academy Partnership, one of the best academy Trusts in the South West, which will provide invaluable support to our staff, parents and pupils to ensure we are delivering a first-class education.”
“For more information on admissions for the school, please visit our website (https://stmichaels-lap.co.uk/) or get in touch with the Trust’s Admissions Officer, Mrs Webber via email (admissions@lapsw.org).”
Mrs Atkinson, Chief Executive of Learning Academy Partnership, said:
“We are honoured to have been chosen to be opening a new school in Paignton. We hope that St Michael’s will be a welcome addition to the community, and look forward to working with other schools and local businesses and representatives to support families in the area.
“The Learning Academy Partnership are dedicated to empowering excellence in all our schools, and St Michael’s will be no different. We are thrilled to have Mrs Edwards leading the school, and we look forward to welcoming Reception and Nursery pupils in September 2021. We will ensure there is an excellent offer for pupils in Paignton, which is supported by the excellence of the schools across our Trust.”
Mike Borkowski, Business Development Director of Midas Construction, said:
“We are delighted to be supporting the need for school places in Paignton and to be preserving this beautiful listed building, rich in its own history, that is set to continue a legacy in education through its careful restoration into a vibrant new early learning environment for future generations to enjoy and thrive in.
“Education is a hugely important sector for Midas, and one in which we have considerable experience and expertise, delivering many key projects regionally and in the local area including the new state of the art Deaf Academy at Exmouth, the Hi Tech & Digital Centre for South Devon College and the newly opened maths block at Paignton Academy.”