A SCHOOL has opened its doors at its new permanent site to help cater for the growing need for places.

Badbury Park Primary had been housed in a temporary building in Homington Avenue from September last year.

But now it's fully open with 68 children in nursery, Reception and Year 1 at Rainscombe Road, and a capacity of 94.

Year 2 will be added in September 2021 and youngsters up to the age of 11 by 2025. By then, it could be home to 429 pupils.

Head of school Louise Dance said: “It has been wonderful to finally welcome the children and for our ideas and vision to all come together.

“The children entered school through a balloon arch and were greeted with a wonderful building and beautiful learning spaces filled with authentic, natural resources and inspiring outdoor learning areas.

“We have a forest school and curiosity at the heart of its curriculum, taking learning outdoors whenever it can.”

The school has a large field, stream, bridges, trees, and green views to Coate Water.

The Blue Kite Trust runs the school. Its CEO Gary Evans said: “It has taken five years for Badbury Park Primary to go from conception to finally opening its doors to pupils.

“We were informed by Swindon Borough Council that there was a need for places as a result of the Badbury Park development.

“The site given to us was fraught with complications, including a brook running through the middle, poor drainage and due to buried Roman artefacts we could only build on the top third.

“However, even within these constraints we could always see the great potential to create a school that was tied into its local environment.

“Surrounded by trees, fields, farms and the Richard Jefferies Museum, we always knew that outdoor learning would be strong theme for the school.”

Virtual tours are being held via Zoom this year and these can be booked on the school website.