Steel framework in place on new £7m ATLP school in Lichfield

Excitement is building as construction works continue to gather pace at Anna Seward Primary School ahead of its eagerly-anticipated opening next year.

The £7m Lichfield school, located on Bridgeman Way on the Deanslade Park development, opens in September 2023 and will have a one-form entry.

An important milestone in the project was celebrated this month when key figures from the highly-respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) – including newly-appointed Anna Seward Head of School Richard Storer and Chief Finance and Operations Officer Simon Smith – attended the site to mark the placement of the final steel beam.

They were joined at the event by representatives from developers Staffordshire County Council and construction company G F Tomlinson.

In June the ATLP was appointed by the Department for Education as the sponsor for the free academy school and two months later Midlands-based main contractor G F Tomlinson began work on the 1,500 square metre site, which is due for completion in summer 2023. G F Tomlinson is working alongside the county council, design and project managers Entrust and architects Arc Partnership.

The two-storey building will offer 210 primary school and 26 nursery places including wraparound care and is being developed to expand primary school provision in Lichfield in response to an increased demand for places in the locality.

Richard Gill CBE, the CEO of ATLP, is relishing the prospect of the school opening its doors.

He said: “It’s hugely exciting to see many months of planning coming to fruition as building work begins at Anna Seward Primary, which becomes the landmark 20^th school within our Trust.

“The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership has built a highly-respected reputation for delivering excellence in education to primary and secondary school pupils at our existing schools in Lichfield and beyond. Parents of prospective pupils can expect such high standards at Anna Seward Primary.

“Our recent school open evening and online and in-person school consultations have shown that many parents are taking a very keen interest in the school, with good numbers already indicating that Anna Seward is their first choice.”

G F Tomlinson will be providing opportunities – such as site visits and work experience placements – for local schools to increase social value within the area. The team will also liaise with residents through regular newsletters and site entrance information boards to keep them updated with the latest project news.

Chris Flint, managing director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We feel honoured to be delivering our sixth project for Staffordshire County Council. It’s fantastic to be able to play an important part in increasing more school places in the local area, which are in high demand.

“We’re excited to see the school take shape over the coming months and welcome in a brand-new cohort of students in September next year, as the children embark on their educational journeys.”

Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Jonathan Price, said: “Having planned this school for a while in response to an increased need for primary school places in the area, it is really good to see the progress being made on site.

“It is essential that we continue to plan ahead in response to local housing developments, to ensure there are enough school places to cope with increased demand. I will look forward to seeing how the construction on this school progresses over the coming months.”

Applications for pupil places at Anna Seward have now opened. Visit https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Admissions-primary/Apply/Overview.aspx for details on how to apply.

For all the latest news about the school, visit: https://annaseward.atlp.org.uk and follow @AnnaSeward_pri and @the_atlp on Twitter.

Picture: Among those photographed at the site of Anna Seward Primary School are ATLP’s Chief Finance and Operations Officer Simon Smith, Communications Officer Liam Moakes, Anna Seward Primary Head of School Richard Storer and Strategic Education Lead for the Lichfield Hub Helen Hastilow.