A consortium of housebuilders are contributing £1.2million towards the delivery of a stunning new primary school in Witney.
The Windrush Church of England Primary School will include a nursery, community hub, playing field and playground, all of which are ideally located for residents of the new Windrush Place community in west Witney.
The money from the housbuilder’s consortium, comprising of Bovis Homes, Bloor Homes and Persimmon, will go towards furnishing and equipping the school, including start-up costs and supporting ICT requirements.
Charles Bond, area sales manager at Bovis Homes, said: “We are delighted to have contributed towards the new primary school at Windrush Place. The school will be a focal point for this new part of the community and provide much-needed support and services for residents. We wish all new pupils every success in the future.”
Katherine Spencer is educational lead on the project for River Learning Trust, the multi-academy organisation that will be operating the school in partnership with the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education.
Katherine said: “We are passionate about placing Windrush Church of England Primary School at the heart of a wonderful new community. Our goal is to make the school a place that people living in Windrush Place can be really proud of and we are working flat out to meet the challenge of delivering an education that families who choose to live here deserve.
“We are going to have the opportunity to educate local children in a fantastic environment, with the very best buildings and facilities. We cannot wait to welcome our first children into that environment and to help them take their first steps with us on a special journey.”
The development will feature plenty of green open space with a sports fields and equipped play area, plus allotments for Windrush Place residents and others from the local community. There will also be a local centre plus employment land, providing opportunities for businesses.
In addition to this, the consortium will be contributing to on-site and off-site road improvements, £1million towards public transport including the provision of six new bus shelters, plus funding to Witney Town Centre and the Town Council. The bus shelters will ensure residents have convenient and more environmentally friendly access between Witney and Oxford, which will be further enhanced by new pedestrian, cyclist and equestrian crossing facilities.
The primary school will serve the Windrush Place and Colwell Green community in west Witney – which you might hear referred to locally as the Downs Road developments.
The school will admit up to 30 pupils into reception in the first year. It is planned that the school will eventually take 45 a year and have total capacity for 315. The first intake is scheduled for September 2021 and you can find out more about the school at windrushschool.org.
Also, there will be 39 nursery places available at Windrush.
