Balloons fly high to celebrate official opening of the new Longtown Primary School

The local community of Longtown celebrates the amalgamation of the former Infant and Junior schools when the school's new Chair of Governors officially opens Longtown Primary School on Thursday 27th March at 2pm. 

The opening will include the unveiling of a plaque by the Chair of Governors, Frank Johnson, with the help of 98 year old Milly Smethurst, former pupil, whose family were among the first pupils at the original Longtown School in 1857, assisted by the youngest child in the school. Then there will be a balloon release on the school field. Each child will be given a helium-filled balloon in school colours, which will carry a label with the school's name and address on it. After the balloons have been released they will float away from Longtown. People who find the labels are asked to send them back to school and there will be a prize for the balloon that travels the furthest. Refreshments will then be served after the official opening for children, parents and guests. 

A single storey extension has been built on the south side of the school providing 2 classrooms and toilets. This links to the former junior school which now houses a private nursery and Sure Start. There is low-level access throughout to allow for wheelchairs. General internal refurbishments throughout the new primary school and refurbishment of the nursery has also been carried out. The work cost in the region of £500,000. 

County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education says 

"This new school is a credit to the village of Longtown. There are always concerns when you first talk about amalgamating two infant and junior schools due to surplus places but this new school proves that amalgamating schools can be successful. The new school is an excellent educational development not only for the children but also for the community of Longtown as a whole. The school provides a high quality, friendly environment providing opportunities for each of the pupils to achieve the highest standard of learning possible. The architects have done an excellent job and I'm sure that the children will thoroughly enjoy their new surroundings" 

David Ratcliff, Headteacher of Longtown Primary School says 

"It feels like a new school building. Everything is bright and fresh and appropriate for the needs of 21st century children in Longtown. It's more like a new start than we could ever have imagined. We want the buildings and the site, and the mission of the school, to be at the heart of the Longtown community, offering its children rich experiences of "Learning, Playing and Sharing", our short but powerful motto."