Students at Ryde Academy will have an extra week added onto their October half term holiday due to a delay in opening the brand new school building at Pell Lane.
The decision has been taken to push back the opening of the new 1,500-pupil school from early September until early November. Although contractors Sir Robert MacAlpine had some hope of the new school being ready for September 2017, the decision to postpone the opening has been taken this week to avoid any risk or change of date.
As a result of today’s announcement (Thursday), students will have an additional week holiday in October and will not be required to attend school on the week commencing 30th October to allow staff to unpack and organise work spaces and classrooms.
Students in all years at Ryde Academy will return to the current building after the Summer holidays on Wednesday 6th September (Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th being INSET days) until October half term and then return to school and the new building on Monday 6th November.
Joy Ballard, Principal at the Academies Enterprise Trust-run school has said:
“I appreciate this may be disappointing in some ways but we want to ensure that the new building is absolutely right before moving our students and staff in and that the dates are definite to help you plan for the care of your children”.
Earlier today a consultation was launched by AET regarding the proposed plans to close Sandown Bay Academy and merge staff, students and resources with Ryde Academy by September 2018.
