Mayor Dave Joins Kempston Rural Lower Pupils and Staff to Mark Construction Start for New Site

Mayor Dave Hodgson last week joined staff and pupils of Kempston Rural Lower School to turn the last nut in the steel framework and mark the launch of construction of new buildings for the school. The new £4.5 million construction will open in September 2014, and the school will operate as a two-form entry school for its reception years

The brand new Kempston Lower school site is part of Bedford Borough Council's £35.6 million investment in the improvement and maintenance of schools in the borough over the next 3 years, and provides additional capacity generated by the nearby housing developments. Thanks to strategic planning and investment to cater for growth such as the new Kempston Rural Lower School site, Bedford Borough Council has avoided altogether the primary school capacity crisis facing areas right across the country.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "It was great to hear from the children about how much they are looking forward to their brand new school site. The school is bringing children up to the site on a regular basis to see how their new school buildings are shaping up, and I'm sure they will enjoy seeing it take shape more than anyone over the coming months.'

"This high quality building is one of very few of its kind in the country, and will provide current and future pupils at Kempston Rural Lower School with superb facilities. We have invested heavily to ensure the creation of excellent teaching and learning space, and wish all the children and staff at Kempston Rural the very best for a successful future at their brand new school site."

The ongoing major investment programme in local schools and their facilities supports the continued, remarkable achievements of school communities in driving up standards across the Borough. Ofsted recently ranked Bedford Borough number two in its table of local authority areas based on the proportion of children attending a good or outstanding lower/primary school, with even more recent Ofsted data showing Bedford Borough to be the very best place in the country for a child to attend a lower or primary school, with 98% of children attending a good or outstanding school.