21 July
MP welcomes ‘exciting plans’ for treasured site
West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has described the progress of the renovation work being undertaken at the site of the historic Malvern Hills College as ‘fantastic’ following a tour of the development on Friday (July 3).
The vacant buildings in Albert Road North are being turned into a specialist school, Aurora Peartree School, which is due to open later this year, catering for a maximum of 120 primary and secondary students up to the age of 19.
The school is being developed by The Aurora Group, one of the UK’s leading providers of education, care and support services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).underway
Dame Harriett was given a tour of the site by representatives from Aurora and commercial property refurbishers McCarthys, who are carrying out the work. She also had the opportunity to meet the school’s Headteacher Nicola Redhead and Deputy Headteacher Andrew Sprosen.
Dame Harriett said: “I was delighted to see the renovations under way at this treasured local venue and to meet the school’s head and deputy head as well as the project management team.
“The school has exciting plans for its students when it opens its doors to them later this year. The area desperately needs more specialist education provision and demand for places is already high. The county council currently spends eyewatering amounts on taxi journeys sending local children to out-of-county providers.
“Aurora has done a fantastic job developing the former Malvern Hills College site into a facility that can cater to local pupils’ needs. I can’t wait to visit again once the school opens to meet with staff and pupils.”
Aurora Project Manager Rachel Watkins welcomed Dame Harriett’s visit and said that although the secondary school building was still under construction, the MP was able to tour the primary school and see firsthand the facilities the school will offer.
Miss Watkins said: “Dame Harriett took great interest in the type of cohort we will have, the number of pupils who will be accommodated and how they’ll be managed by the staff.
“She was excited by the prospect of a new SEND school opening within her constituency and what it will bring to the area in terms of support for young people and local employment.”
