On Tuesday January 30th Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, will visit Marlborough St Mary’s CEVC Primary School to officially open the new school.
Janneke Blokland, school governor told marlborough.news: “The school governors are very excited that the Duchess of Cornwall will joining us for the opening of the new school building. The Duchess will meet the children, staff, governors and supporters of the school, and she will listen to the Choir performing one of their songs. After this, the Duchess will be invited to unveil a plaque commemorating the event. The Bishop of Ramsbury will then bless the school.”
On arrival at the school Her Royal Highness will be met by the Head Teacher Anne Schwodler. During the course of the visit, as well as watching the short performance by some of the children in the Main Hall Her Royal Highness will visit a number of classrooms. Whilst touring the classrooms she will drop into a literacy lesson and meet students involved in the school’s ‘Radio Club’. The school produces podcasts from their own radio station and the children will be showing Camilla the work that they have carried out, including creating their own jingles.
The £7 million school, situated on a 6 acre site behind the old school on Ducks Meadow opened for the first time at the start of the September term 2017. It offers up to 420 students aged four to eleven state of the art facilities. The single storey building offers large airy classrooms, all allowing access to outside spaces, complete with sun canopies, to encourage learning beyond the classroom.
There is a large hall and studio, library, technology suite, an EFA approved football pitch, training grid, an all weather games area and a wildlife area. A Resource Base, including a sensory room and hygiene room provides for 20 Special Educational Needs children.
The Duchess of Cornwall is an avid reader and undertakes a number of engagements to promote the importance of supporting literacy both to children and adults alike. The Duchess has been Patron of the National Literacy Trust since 2010 and is also Patron of other organisations including Book Trust, The Wicked Young Writers Award, Beanstalk, First Story and BBC Radio 2’s 500 words competition.
The Duchess is no stranger to Marlborough and has visited the town in an official capacity on several occasions. In February 2010 she officially opened the new St. John’s Marlborough school buildings. In October 2012 she visited Marlborough as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. On this visit she unveiled a three metre long handpainted mosaic which was part of Marlborough’s local history exhibition. She was also given a guided tour of the prison cells at Marlborough Town Hall!
Marlborough launch for new Wiltshire based charity aiming to help young people
