Category: Free School Applications

Construction milestone for Staffordshire’s first all-through school

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A construction milestone was celebrated last Friday at the site of Staffordshire’s first all-through school, Rugeley John Taylor, which will provide continuous education for children from Nursery (over 3 years old) to Post-16, and which is being built on the site of the former Rugeley Power Station.

Key members from BAM, Gleeds Project Management Consultants, the Department for Education, Staffordshire County Council and John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust came together to recognise this project, which embraces development in the town of Rugeley and marked the occasion by signing the steel frame for the building.

Video of the Steel Signing Ceremony at the site of Rugeley John Taylor School on 4th October 2024.

The new school building is a mixed facility school of two and three stories, providing classroom teaching zones, technology areas, science laboratories, a main hall, library and dining facilities. In addition, there will be a separate sports hall block, which will be connected to the main school via an external walkway. The development will also include an extensive sports pitch layout including two all-weather pitches and three outdoor athletic pitch areas.

Adam Harding, Regional Director at BAM commented:

“We’re delighted to be involved with John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust, delivering this exciting phase of projects for the DfE and our client. It’s refreshing to see this work will deliver learning and education facilities for young children through to senior school and early adult years, ensuring a new sense of community and friendships will be cultivated in the area.”

The secondary phase of Rugeley John Taylor School will open in September 2025 with 150 places for Year 7 pupils, whilst the primary phase is scheduled to open with Nursery and Reception places in September 2026.

Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education (and SEND) Councillor Jonathan Price said:

“This ceremony marks the next important step forward in the development of this school, which will address pressures on school places locally and add much needed capacity in the area. It has been fantastic to visit the school as it is being constructed, just to take in the sheer scale of what is being built. I look forward to seeing how it develops over the coming months and have no doubt that the school will become an integral part of the local community.”

The new school will be run by John Taylor MAT, an established Trust with 10 years’ experience serving a total of 20 infant, primary and secondary schools across Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

Mike Donoghue, Chief Executive Office for John Taylor MAT said,

“We were delighted to have all partners in this important project come together to mark the construction phase, and we are working hard to create a fantastic school that will be an integral part of the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust and the community of Rugeley.”

  • Admissions for Year 7 places to Rugeley John Taylor School are via the Staffordshire County Council portal. Admissions for September 2025 places close on 31st October 2024.
  • When full the school will accommodate up to 420 primary and 750 secondary school pupils, as well as a 52 place nursery and 200 place sixth form.
  • Additional information on Rugeley John Taylor School, including the 2024/25 Prospectus and a link to admissions for Year 7 places can be found at www.rugeleyjohntaylor.co.uk.

CEO’s Blog: October 2024: Rugeley John Taylor School

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Regular readers of my blog may have noticed that a couple of months have elapsed since my previous piece, and I was reminded of this by a colleague earlier this week.  One of the causes of this, and the subject of this month’s blog, is our ongoing work on the development of Staffordshire’s very first all-through school: Rugeley John Taylor.

The initial concept was first mooted in 2018, and our application to sponsor new provision in the town submitted the following year – so it’s been a long road between those first steps and where we are now, with still further to travel. 

Last week saw us pass a very special milestone, as we hosted the first two of four open events for families in the area to come and learn more about our new school which, of course, is also their school.  A presentation was followed by the opportunity to meet colleagues from our project team, to view plans for the school and ask questions about the provision it will deliver.  The sessions were very well attended, and the enthusiasm for the new school was palpable. It was wonderful to meet so many local children at the event too, and answer their questions about what the new school would be like.   We also issued copies of our prospectus to attendees, detailing our vision for the school and its community further.

A copy of our prospectus can be viewed here: https://rugeleyjohntaylor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Rugeley-Prospectus-V6-for-web.pdf

We have a further two sessions later this month, both of which are now sold out.  Again, this highlights interest from the community in the new school. 

On Friday 4th October, we will participate in the contractor’s “steel signing” event on site as we see the construction phase reach one of its key delivery points.  Then later this month we advertise for the position of Executive Headteacher to lead the new school.  From this point in the journey, the milestones begin to come thick and fast.  Before we know it, it will be 1st September 2025 and we will have an open secondary phase, and begin the process of working with younger families as we look to open nursery and Reception provision for the following September.

The opening of a new school, and this will be John Taylor MAT’s fourth, is a challenging process – and a time consuming one (hence the lack of blogging!).  However, the rewards are enormous.  It is a privilege to have the opportunity to shape the development of a new school from the blank paper of the architect’s drawing board to the cutting of a ribbon at an opening ceremony.  An even greater privilege is the responsibility of shaping the vision and values of a new school community of pupils, staff, governors and parents.  As I have posted previously, it is our people that are our greatest asset and set us apart.  I very much anticipate that Rugeley John Taylor’s people will continue to reinforce that sentiment.

Thanks for reading.

Mike.

PS: For information on admissions, opportunities for employment and everything else relating to the school, take a look at our website Rugeley John Taylor School | Staffordshire’s First All-Through School  where you can also sign up to our newsletter.