Official opening of Darfield Valley Primary School, Barnsley

OLD boy turned poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan will be among the VIP guests as Barnsley Mayor Cllr Margaret Morgan performs the official opening of Darfield Valley Primary School at 10.30am on Tuesday, 26 September.

Chair of governors William Marsden, Assistant Executive Director (Education) Rick Lohan and representatives of construction firm Carillion and Modern Schools Barnsley will join teachers and pupils for the celebratory event.

At the main entrance Cllr Morgan will perform a ribbon-cutting ceremony and unveil a commemorative plaque. After an assembly in the school hall, there will be a balloon release by pupils in the playground, followed by a tour for the VIPs of the building.

Darfield Valley is the fourth new primary school to open officially in Barnsley in little over a week. Two further phases of openings are planned for spring and autumn 2007, bringing the total number of new primary schools and learning centres to 13.

Headteacher Colin Wilkinson said: The educating of a child should be holistic  every facet is important  the teaching styles, the way a child learns, the content of the curriculum, the overall wellbeing of a child and the environment that a child learns in.

Our new school building helps us to achieve this. It has been designed to be   comfortable, relaxing, safe and welcoming. The environment is calm and safe and the impact on behaviour and attitude has been noted. It can only have a positive effect on the future achievements of our children.

Ian McMillan, who lives locally, is an old boy of the school and has been involved in various related activities over the years. Looking forward to Tuesdays opening celebrations, he said: Darfield Valley Primary taught me all I know! Its had a glorious past and I know it will have a great future!

The 13 primary learning centres and primary schools are being built by Carillion and will be maintained by Modern Schools Barnsley. These state-of-the-art primary learning centres and primary schools will deliver 21^st century learning facilities as part of the councils Remaking Learning agenda.

Carillion Regional Director Adrian Mole said the completion of the first phase of schools had been helped by good working relationships with the schools and Barnsley Council.

These are exemplar primary schools that will be fundamental in transforming education in Barnsley, Mr Mole added.

ENDS

Issued by Kevin Smith, Barnsley Council press office, (01226) 773442, email: kevinsmith@barnsley.gov.uk