Trust Chosen To Run New Market Harborough School

An Academy Trust has been chosen to run a new £9.3m primary school in Market Harborough.

Discovery School Trust will take-on the newly named Wellington Place Primary School, which is due to open next September on the Airfield Farm Housing Estate.

The trust, which runs 13 primary schools across Leicestershire including Farndon Fields in Market Harborough and Kibworth Primary School, says it will be ‘a huge privilege and responsibility’ to open the 210-place school, which will be the first new school in the town in over 20 years.

Councillor Deborah Taylor, cabinet member for children and families at Leicestershire County Council, told HFM the authority recommended Discovery School Trust to run it:

Building work began on the school last month

Work on the site of the new school began last month and in-line with the council’s green agenda, it will be ‘net zero in operation’ and will also feature green technology such as solar panels and air source heat pumps.

It is being funded by developers William Davis and Taylor Wimpey and money from the the government and will include teaching spaces for pupils with special educational needs, a multi-use play area, nature areas and parking and drop-off spaces.

Paul Stone, CEO of Discovery Schools Trust, said: “It is always a huge privilege and responsibility to open a new school. We look forward to working with Leicestershire County Council to build a school of the 21st century that excites and challenges our children’s thinking.

“Our aim is to make the new school the centre of the local community providing the excellence in education that Discovery is known for as well as our community programmes such as wrap-around care, holiday clubs and community partnerships.”

Applications for children starting school for the first-time next autumn can be made via the county council’s website www.leics.gov.uk./admissions by January 15.

How the school will look