Pupils from Deer Park School will be able to move into their new school building next month, as teachers get ready to be handed the keys to their permanent home in East Twickenham, after over five years in temporary facilities.
Deer Park School opened in September 2015 on a temporary site at Richmond Adult Community College, where it has remained while the new building was constructed. It is a Free School sponsored by Bellevue Place Education Trust and will have a capacity of 420 pupils by 2024/25. It will occupy the first and second floor of a new development in East Twickenham, above the recently opened Lidl supermarket.
The new school includes a large dining hall, dedicated Library and specialist classrooms for Art and Design, and for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lessons. In addition to the on-site playground, the school has made a number of arrangements for offsite sporting activities. The Multi Use Games Area provided at first floor, will support the provision of games such as football, netball, basketball and hockey on site. This is secured for safety and to prevent balls going into neighbouring gardens.
There are also outdoor learning spaces provided at the second floor, including a gardening terrace and outdoor classroom, and the reception classes will have a covered canopy.
Councillor Penny Frost, Chair of the Education and Children’s Services Committee, said:
“I am so delighted that the children of Deer Park School, and their teachers, are finally able to move into this brilliant new facility. I’ve been amazed at the resilience of the pupils, their parents, and staff, learning and working in their temporary accommodation for over five years. I would also like offer my thanks to Richmond Adult Community College for providing the space for the school during this time.
“Demand for places at schools in Richmond upon Thames is high - our schools are deservedly popular owing to the fact that they continue to top the league tables and offer excellent, inclusive education for local children. I am grateful for the work Council and Achieving for Children officers did to secure this site for educational use and I will continue to work to make sure all our students have access to the facilities they need to support their learning and future success.”
Alexander Lee, Head Teacher of Deer Park School, said:
“We are thoroughly looking forward to the opportunities and broader horizons that this new premises affords our children. Schools, of course, are not defined by their buildings, and we are proud of the high standards and cohesive community that have characterised Deer Park School in its journey to date. However, the state-of-the-art facilities of our new home bring us an exciting range of possibilities for the future and afford us the ability to build an increasingly innovative and high-quality learning experience for our children. Our families and staff have shown exceptional commitment in bringing about this wonderful opportunity, and we are excited to continue working together to bring our children the best provision possible.”
– from a Richmond Council press release - 18 March 2021