London,
11
March
2022
|
14:49
Europe/London

Rhyl school celebrates new era at the heart of local community

  • Rhyl pupils cut cake with Gail Porter
  • Rhyl pupils sing new school song - cropped
  • Rhyl pupils read poems at launch
  • The Mayor speaks at Rhyl launch event
  • Rhyl orchestra at launch
  • Gail Porter speaks at launch

Rhyl Community Primary School today (11 March) marked a new era at the heart of the local Queen’s Crescent and Gospel Oak community with the launch of an exciting range of community and family services at the Grafton Road site. 

The refurbished Grafton Road building now incorporates an expanded Rhyl Nursery, catering for children aged two to four, as well as offering excellent learning experiences for Rhyl’s Reception and Year One pupils. 

Years Two to Six are based at Rhyl Street, with the primary school now operating over two sites, while offering a range of community provision for parents and the local community from the Grafton Road building as part of the initial development of a Community Hub, together with the launch of a new Children’s Centre and Adult Learning Centre.

Today, the Mayor of Camden and TV personality Gail Porter helped to officially open the new school site and Community Hub. See more photos from the launch here.

The Mayor of Camden, Councillor Sabrina Francis, said: 

“Over its two sites, Rhyl Community Primary School can now offer exceptional education for children from ages two to 11, with multiple extracurricular and enrichment opportunities. I’m delighted to also see the launch of the Community Hub and the expansion of Rhyl’s inclusive and creative approach to learning extended to two-year-olds within the nursery. 

“There’s also a growing and extensive programme of activities and support for parents, children and the community, including mother and daughter exercise classes, under-fives stay and play drop-ins, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and adult community learning classes, including beginners’ IT sessions. 

“It is wonderful to hear that Rhyl has also been working with the Council’s Job Hub to deliver parent employability workshops from this Grafton Road site, which has remained in use for the benefit of the school and the local community.” 

Rhyl Community Primary School’s Executive Headteacher, Helen Connor, said: 

"We are delighted that we have been able to extend and build upon our excellent educational provision to children and families, from early years through primary school and onto secondary school. We are building a unique school with exceptional support for children, parents, families and the local community, and there is no doubt that Rhyl will truly be a school at the heart of the local community.” 

Councillor Angela Mason, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families, said: 

“Rhyl Community Primary School is a brilliant school for local families in Gospel Oak and Kentish Town and this new Community Hub is a fantastic development that will further enhance what is on offer for parents, families and the wider community.” 

Peter Ptashko, a member of Rhyl’s Governing Body who has supported the Community Hub development, said: 

“Myself and the entire Governing Body are delighted to see the launch of the Community Hub and the expansion of our inclusive and creative approach to learning extended to two-year-olds. This project has been several years in the making and represents an innovative opportunity for localised community services to be brought together and offered to the school’s surrounding Queen’s Crescent community, following the merger of Carlton into Rhyl Community Primary School. I have been delighted to champion this exciting project - that represents an incredible legacy for both schools - from the beginning and we will continue to work with our local community to enhance and expand this provision in Gospel Oak and beyond over the coming years.” 

Following significant investment by the Council, Rhyl Community Primary School expanded onto two sites from September 2021. Extensive improvements to the Grafton Road building have created an integrated nursery and primary school offering early years and primary education, plus an array of family and community support, from 8am to 6pm for local families with children aged two to 11. 

Background information: 

  • In March 2021, Camden Council's Cabinet agreed to merge Rhyl and Carlton primary schools, closing Carlton Primary School to tackle surplus school places, whilst keeping the former Carlton site open for education and community use under the leadership of Rhyl, which has been operating from two sites since September 2021
  • As part of the refurbishment of the Grafton Road building, the site and facilities remain in use for the school’s local community and for the benefit of children and their families. A programme of activities and support for parents, children and the community is now running 
  • Meanwhile, the Council has also invested in improvements to the playground of the Rhyl Street site, which is also home to the Rhyl Kitchen Classroom - the school’s innovative community kitchen for top quality food education.

For more details about Rhyl Community Primary School, their new nursery, as well as their Community Hub of family and community activities or support, please contact the school.