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| I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit Abbots Green Community Primary School on Moreton Hall at the start of this term. At the invitation of head teacher, Alex Bedford, I was given a tour of this pioneering new school and was able to see first hand the impact of the cutting edge technology on classrooms and pupils. |
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| The exciting educational innovations at Abbots Green include interactive whiteboards in every classroom, a plasma television communications system and ‘The Den’ – a room for children with learning difficulties, with music, projected displays and light shows. These state of the art facilities will make a real difference to the way children are educated and lessons are conducted. Abbots Green goes well beyond just providing extra school places - it is a completely new approach. This school is child centred. It is not a one-size fits all approach. And it does give parents another type of education to choose for their child if they wish to. |
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| Importantly, in this day and age, Abbots Green is also ‘eco-friendly’. They are able to vastly reduce the amount of mains water they use by recycling rainwater. By the time I visited the school had used a massive 6,000 litres of rainwater. This is a colossal saving. There are also solar panels to provide power and quite incredibly a plant covered roof to aid insulation. |
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| Abbots Green will be an asset to the wider community as well. A number of local groups have already begun hiring out the facilities on offer and during the closure of the Theatre Royal for restoration Abbots Green will be one of the venues used for their productions. |
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| School buildings can provide a wonderful resource for people of all ages. It is pleasing that Abbots Green is setting the example that when the school day is over there is no reason at all why everyone – young and old - should not benefit from their facilities. |
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| Abbots Green is a fantastic new addition to Moreton Hall. It is not just unique to Bury St Edmunds - it is one of the first of its kind in the country. We are extremely fortunate to have it here in our community. This is a school for the 21st Century and thanks to its environmentally friendly ethos and modern education vision I imagine it will become the model for many schools in the future. |
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| I am sure that all local residents will join me in welcoming Abbots Green to Moreton Hall. I look forward to returning in the near future to see how the school is progressing. |
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