A North London school, working in partnership with their local parish, recently celebrated the grand opening of its new campus in Edmonton.
West Lea School, a specialist college for pupils with special educational needs, marked the opening of its new Meridian Campus in February. The facilities are built on land belonging to the Parish of St Mary and St John, Dyson Road, and Fr Nigel Asbridge, Parish Priest for St Mary and St John worked closely with West Lea School (of which he is also a Governor) and the London Borough of Enfield, as the school developed its new facilities.
The Meridian Campus site previously provided a temporary home for Meridian Angel Primary School, prior to their move to new accommodation in January 2017, and the facilities will now provide a dynamic new home for over fifty of West Lea’s primary-age pupils, reflecting the growth of the school since West Lea’s Haselbury Campus first opened.
Over £600,000 has been invested by West Lea School and the Borough in transforming the site into a well-equipped and modern environment for pupils with SEND requirements, and the new campus has been designed to maximise the potential of its children, focusing on cultivating happy students with appealing, inclusive and personalised learning opportunities.
The opening ceremony was led by Bishop of Edmonton, Rob Wickham, and Councillor Ayfer Orhan, Cabinet Member of Education, Children’s Services, and Protection within the Borough of Enfield. Also in attendance was Paralympian Emma Alexander, who was on hand to showcase her racing wheelchair. The theme throughout the opening celebration was “superheroes” and featured a performance by the pupils, who took the opportunity to demonstrate their special powers.
The Rt Revd, Rob Wickham, Bishop of Edmonton said:
“Our new partnership between St John’s Dysons Road and West Lea school is another creative and compassionate use of our church buildings. I’m delighted that the PCC has taken this bold step of supporting the pioneering work of West Lea, as we seek to love and support in an inclusive way, especially supporting and learning from those with disabilities.”
Sue Tripp, Executive Headteacher at West Lea School said:
“Life for pupils at West Lea is a journey towards independence…believing that to truly flourish children must feel valued, we focus on what each child can achieve and celebrate their successes – as well as continually evolving the vital role they play within the local community.”
