St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School in Avenham has had a new extension blessed by the Bishop of Lancaster.
The new entrance at the front of the school has been built to improve safety and security.
The opening ceremony on Thursday 27 January was attended by Rt Rev Paul Swarbrick, Bishop of Lancaster, supported by Fr Simon Hawksworth, Parish Priest of St John XXIII Parish.
The school governors wanted to ensure that the works reflected the Catholic ethos of the school. The design was drawn up by the school’s Chair of Governors, David Cox of David Cox Architects, and includes a vaulted ceiling, large windows and the large cross on the roof.
Mr Terry May officially opened the entrance by cutting the ribbon. The entrance has been named in his honour in recognition of his 20 years service to the school as a teacher and a further 26 years as a Governor.
Mr May taught at the school from 1973 to 1993, and then took on the role of school governor in 1996.
He is a regular visitor in school and has a passion for supporting Inclusion. For the last 15 years or so he has also supported the school’s Year 6 residential trips to the Lake District as well as any other trips where help has been needed.
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Representatives from the diocese, children from the Upper Junior classes, Worship Leaders and Head Boy and Girl represented the school community.
The ceremony included a welcome from the school’s Assistant Headteachers, Mrs Elaine Goulding and Mrs Lindsey Walsh, as the Headteacher, Mr John Entwistle, was unable to attend after testing positive for Covid.
During the ceremony there was a selection of hymns and songs led by the school’s music teacher Mr Cobb and sung by the Upper Junior classes.
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The ceremony was closed with the chorus of the school song ‘Unique and United in God’s Love. We let our light shine’, which is the school motto.
Following the ceremony visitors and governors met with the Bishop for refreshments which included a specially commissioned cake decorated with the school badge.
The Bishop spoke to the children in all the classes and concluded his visit by meeting members of the teaching and support staff.
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