Local MP, Richard Harrington, describes one of his proudest moments as he visits brand new school in central Watford.
On Friday 2nd November 2018, Richard Harrington MP toured St John’s School with Fr David Stevenson and Headmistress, Helen Langeveld.
During the visit, the Watford MP viewed all of the new purpose built facilities and met with children during their lunch break.
The school opened in 2016 at a temporary site, whilst project managers at the school searched for a spot in Central Watford and the Parish of St John’s Church, who are sponsoring the school.
Central Watford had a high need for new school places and so parents really welcome this new choice of school in the heart of Watford, near homes and workplaces.
Mr Harrington was instrumental in securing the funds from the Department for Education and also finding the site on 32 Clarendon Road, where the old Barclays Building was.
He met regularly with Fr David, from St John’s Church, to discuss forming this school which is instilled with a Christian moral ethos, but open to everyone who lives around the Church irrespective of their background and beliefs.
The school will cater for students from Reception to Year Six, and will eventually accommodate up to 420 pupils when it reaches capacity in 2022. Mr Harrington was particularly pleased to see all of the finished classrooms, ready for future children to take up places there.
Richard Harrington MP said:
“This week I experienced one of my proudest moments as an MP, as I toured St John's School and saw children learning in the brand new facilities.
Having been involved in this from the start, from my meetings with Ministers at the Department for Education to securing the site on Clarendon Road, I was so delighted to see the permanent building up and running.
It's been an absolute pleasure to work with headmistress, Helen, and Fr David on this, and now families in central Watford are reaping the benefits of a state-of-the art school that they can walk to.”
Two other primary free schools in Watford have also opened recent years, Lanchester on Hempstead Road and Ascot Road Free School.