Guardian News
Wimboldsley School enjoys the biggest extension of its history
10:54am Monday 30th January 2012
A VILLAGE school near Middlewich is celebrating the biggest extension in its 134 year history.
Two new classrooms have been built at Wimboldsley Community Primary School after children and teachers put up with lessons in mobile buildings for almost four decades.
The Nantwich Road school was awarded the cash boost from Cheshire West and Chester Council in April 2011 Work began on August 14 by contractors ISG and was completed in time for the New Year.
“It’s like a totally different school,” said headteacher Debbie Grindrod.
“Our staff provide excellent teaching whatever the environment but it’s made a major difference to the children.
“It’s lovely that the council has put a lot of investment into small schools.”
Before the revamp, pupils were separated between two classrooms and two mobiles.
Mrs Grindrod added: “We’re now on one site and are one big happy family.
“The children don’t have to make a mad dash across the playground every time they need the toilet or need to get a book out.”
The mobile classrooms were also becoming less and less fit for purpose.
“They were dank, dark horrible shells,” said Fiona Chesters, teaching assistant for pupils with special needs.
“In winter it was freezing, in summer it was boiling, the windows rattled and the paint was coming off the walls.
“The new classrooms will make a massive difference. The kids have got a lot more space and light.
“When they first went in them, they huddled together as they were so used to being in a small area.”
Pupil Madie Smith, six, added: “We’ve got everything we need in there to help us learn.”
Each child and staff member have also become part of the school’s history by signing one of the structural girders.
ISG even ran a competition to let the youngsters come up with ideas for the interior of the new classrooms.
Mrs Chesters said: “They came up with weird and wonderful ideas from bungee jumping to a swimming pool. We wanted them to take ownership of it.”
============================= WIMBOLDSLEY School’s new look is a far cry from its humble beginnings.
The building was completed in 1878 and opened on January 6, 1879, with one teacher, S.M.A Clowes, and just nine pupils.
In 1895 Ada Halmshaw became the first headteacher who lived in the adjacent School Cottage (now 6 School Cottages). Her salary was £16/5/0.
At this time, there were 42 pupils and a second classroom was later built in 1904.
The number of students have doubled since this time to 94.
Teaching assistant Fiona Chesters said: “It’s quite nice as we have a lot of grandparents and parents who came here as children.”
