Our school was built at the start of the 1980’s and I am told was originally intended to hold four hundred students. Like many school sites of the time a dual purpose was envisaged and so a Village Hall was included.

Today the school has seven hundred students and so the whole site is heavily used. The safeguarding expectations on schools have changed enormously in the last 40 years and in the modern world, it is no longer considered safe for part of a school site to be hired out to the public during the school day, particularly not one which opens out onto a busy playground. 

A few years ago, the Parish Council surrendered the lease on the village hall and after careful consideration, the West Norfolk Academies Trust has decided not to offer a renewal.

The school has been using the hall for many years during the school day and it is vital for running assemblies and serving food at break and lunch, some drama and sporting lessons also take place in this space. In the winter months this space is truly essential in keeping students warm and dry while they eat.

The Trust remains fully supportive of any village group which wishes to hire the hall in the evenings and will continue to make the facility available on this basis. Access for hire during the school day will, however, no longer be possible in order to ensure the welfare of our students. 

The school has benefitted from the additional funding provided by the Trust, which has supported many improvements to the buildings including replacement of the sports hall roof. 

The West Norfolk Academies Trust will continue this support and will further improve the hall to benefit the whole community.

If you have any queries regarding this information please contact myself at the school or contact the Trust directly.