Topping out ceremony marks building milestone
The Willmott Dxon topping out ceremony took place at St Peter's Primary School where a huge new extension to the school is being built - Credit: Archant
CHILDREN could be moving into a new building at their Portishead school by Easter.
Paul Marlow from Willmott Dixon, Reverend Andy Bryant, James 11, Natasha 11, William 11, Abby 11 and Headmaster Sharon Roberts take part in the topping out ceremony.The Willmott Dxon topping out ceremony takes place at the St Peter's Primary school in Portishead. - Credit: Archant
Construction firm Willmott Dixon has reached the highest point of a new £3million building, in the expansion of St Peter’s Primary School.
Reverend Andy Bryant, James 11, Natasha 11, William 11, Abby 11 and headteacher Sharon Roberts take part in the topping out ceremony.The Willmott Dxon topping out ceremony takes place at the St Peter's Primary school in Portishead. - Credit: Archant
The milestone was marked by a topping out ceremony in front of pupils and staff, led by Reverend Andy Bryant.
Willmott Dixon representative Paul Marlow presents a ceremonial trowel to the year six school council members.The Willmott Dxon topping out ceremony takes place at the St Peter's Primary school in Portishead. - Credit: Archant
During the ceremony, salt, oil, corn and wine were poured on a symbolic tree, planted especially for the occasion, to wish the building well.
The construction of the new facility will allow the school’s intake of pupils to increase from 430 to 630 pupils, which should help solve the reception place crisis the town has been experiencing for the past few years.
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The new building means that in addition to nine new classrooms, pupils and staff will benefit from a new hall, learning resource area and state-of-the-art equipment including the latest tablets and interactive whiteboards.
Headteacher Sharon Roberts said: “Portishead has been desperate for more primary school places for quite some time.
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“We are pleased St Peter’s is able to serve the community in this way and we also know all our pupils will really benefit from all of the additional resources.”
Willmott Dixon has also extended the existing sports facilities at the school with a new playground and sports fields which were completed in August 2013.
Neal Stephens, managing director of Willmott Dixon in the South West, said: “We are pleased to have reached such a significant milestone at St Peter’s on time and on budget.”
The final phase of the building work is now under way. If the project continues to progress as planned it is expected to be complete by Easter so the children can move into new classrooms through the summer term.
With the closing date for primary school applications for places in September 2014 being today (Wed), Portishead parents will be waiting to see if the expansion will have managed to solve the town’s school place crisis.
