Russell Rook (Chapel St CEO) and Elizabeth Haddock (Principal for Atherton Community School) outside Atherton Town Hall
Atherton Community School has now received confirmation from Wigan Council that the preferred sites for our new school have been approved.
Following a cabinet meeting by Wigan Council, the Local Authority have agreed to the lease of both Atherton Town Hall to be used as a temporary site for the first year of the school’s operation and also the Hamilton Street site as the permanent location.
Atherton Town Hall will be used as a temporary location, while building works are completed on part of the Hamilton Street site for the new school. The plan is to use some of the existing school buildings, which will be completely refurbished, as well as constructing some new buildings too.
This significant announcement about the school’s site is another important milestone in the plans and preparations for this new school. In recent months, Chapel St have recruited Elizabeth Haddock as Principal Designate for the new school and have recently recruited another three key roles in their senior staff team, including the Vice Principal, Head of Sixth Form and the Leader of Communication and Expression, who will be joining Elizabeth in September. The school continues to receive applications from local families and has just published it’s new logo.
Trevor Barton MBE is a governor for Atherton Community School and welcomed the site announcement, saying:
‘I am delighted to hear that our Local Authority Cabinet had approved the temporary use of the Town Hall in Atherton for one year only before moving to a more permanent site in Hamilton Street.
This follows on from the appointment of Elizabeth Haddock, our Principal Designate and the recent recruitment of additional experienced and high quality senior staff. The concept that we embraced twelve months ago is becoming a reality and this should assist parents and carers in making the important choice of where to send their children to school.
We continue to work to progress the funding agreement for the school with the Department for Education. The business community have also met and is very supportive of assisting the school in making it very relevant to the world of work. I am delighted that Atherton looks likely now to have its own senior school.’
Elizabeth Haddock has been visiting local families and sending offers to the very first pupils of the school. About the site, Elizabeth said:
‘As I have met with parents and children of Atherton, the desire for this new school in the community is clear. Atherton families want a new secondary school, in their own community, which is why the council’s decision is so important and exciting. As a temporary location, we are convinced that the town hall will be more than adequate for the needs of the school in the first year and as we move in to the Hamilton Site, we look forward to creating a totally new school and writing a new script for the young people of this town.’
No comments yet.