incorporating:
Skerne Park Primary School
Libraries and Community Learning
Parkside Neighbourhood Nursery
Sure Start Children's Centre
The new £4.5million complex opened at the beginning of March to replace the existing infant and junior school at Skerne Park with a new build that incorporates a state-of-the-art primary school with a nursery unit, a Sure Start base, a Neighbourhood Nursery and extended Lifelong Learning provision.
The new centre which is the first of its kind in the area, sees a variety of community groups working in partnership to give youngsters the best possible start in life, and adults the opportunities and choices they need to improve their living standards.
The new primary school is built on the playing field between the existing Skerne Park Junior School and Infant School. Alongside it is a neighbourhood nursery that offers wrap around child care from 8am to 6pm.
The new centre also incorporates Sure Start, which provides help and support for families with children under four. This involves a variety of services, including access to quality play facilities, promoting healthy eating and food hygiene, and easy access to health professionals and practical advice on parenting issues.
An adult learning centre has also been created on the site enabling people to access a variety of courses that could include childcare, administration and computing, or other subjects, depending on what local people wanted to learn.
Following extensive community consultation the name ‘The Coleridge Centre’ was chosen to represent the new building as a whole. However, each of the individual services within the building will retain their existing names and identities.
To raise awareness, the building staged an open day on Friday, March 10 with the whole community invited to drop in. The afternoon was a great success with over 250 visitors eager to see the facilities in detail.
Chris McEwan, Darlington Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Many people in the area will have been aware of this development, but not had the chance to see it in detail.
“This event lets everybody in the area take a good look round what is a fantastic building and think about taking advantage of the facilities.”
Artists Impression - Front.
Artists Impression - Side.
Work officially started on the new Skerne park development with a turf cutting ceremony at the site of the existing school on Friday 11th February. Leader of Darlington Borough Council, John Williams, joined children, families and staff to get the new facility underway.
Now finished:
Address
Ribble Drive,
Darlington,
County Durham,
DL1 5TY