Help us name our new sports hall, says Nether Stowe headteacher

A LICHFIELD school where a brand-new sports hall is under construction is reaching out to the community to suggestions a name for the state-of-the-art building.

Nether Stowe School, in St Chad’s Road, is currently undergoing a £4.2 million expansion in its facilities to cope with an increased demand for school places in the area, which will see the front of the school extended to provide a new reception, significant additional classroom space and a new sixth form area.

Work is now well underway on the second phase of the project to construct a new, larger state-of-the-art sports hall at the school, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership.

Now headteacher Glyn Langston-Jones is asking students, parents, staff and members of the broader community to suggest possible names for the new sports hall.

He said: “We are very excited about the expansion of our buildings at Nether Stowe, which will provide first-class new teaching facilities in new classrooms, facilities for our sixth formers and a modern new reception to welcome visitors.

“We’re delighted to be working alongside Staffordshire County Council on this ambitious project. This expansion will give even more children the opportunity to join us and receive a quality education.

“The Nether Stowe school community has really come together to deal with the challenges of lockdown and remote learning, but it’s also nice to know that when school life gets back to normal after the pandemic, there will be new buildings for everyone to enjoy too.”

Nether Stowe is currently looking after vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers, while providing remote working for students at home. The idea to name the new sports hall aims to build community links with the school site during lockdown.

Mr Langston-Jones explained:

“We are looking forward to the benefits of a brand-new sports hall, which is currently under construction, and we would like to get suggestions from students, parents, staff and the wider community about who we could name it in honour of. It could be a former Nether Stowe pupil or much-loved member of staff, a historic figure from the area, a local sports star or someone who has made a significant contribution to local life. We would like local people to get involved and suggest names, so that the whole community can celebrate this new facility.”

Mr Langston-Jones urged local people to email in their ideas for consideration – although he stressed that they were looking for ‘serious’ suggestions.

“We are expecting a few ‘Sporty McSport Halls’,” he joked.

The facilities are being built by contractors Novus, on behalf of Staffordshire County Council and the ATLP. The architects are Entrust.

Suggestions to name the new building should be emailed to: nameoursportshall@netherstowe.com

Caption:

Nether Stowe headteacher Glyn-Langston-Jones in front of the £4.2 million development at the Lichfield school.