Bolton: Essa Academy Primary School celebrate launch of community hub

Essa Primary Academy on Lever Edge Lane are celebrating the launch of a bright, modern, and accessible new community hub after significant investment and redevelopment over recent months.

The hub offers opportunities for families and children to access the school in a new environment, featuring a full new library of books celebrating the cultures, backgrounds, and aspirations of children at the school, a redecorated and redesigned entrance to the building, as well as breakout areas and a performance space, where children are able to build confidence by reading to their peers.

Parents are also now able to access the school to enjoy a new breakfast club, The Hub Club, alongside their children, featuring games, art, and story time, and this has been praised by parents and the school’s local governing board.

New community hub space (Image: Essa Foundation Academies Trust)Other new spaces at the school include a full art gallery space, featuring a full wall mural by internationally acclaimed artist David Gee (AKA Dave Draws).

The mural celebrates Bolton, featuring key local landmarks across the borough, whilst the art gallery itself is designed to be a space in which children and families can view framed artwork produced by the students, selected monthly for display by school staff.

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New library space (Image: Essa Foundation Academies Trust)There is also a new sensory room, praised by Bolton SEND specialists for its calming environment and unique range of resources for children with sensory needs.

Peter Stewart, who joined as principal of Essa Primary Academy at the beginning of the year, said: “We wanted a space that was truly breath-taking.

“Library spaces are so key to children’s development, and we wanted to have the best one in town!

“We are absolutely thrilled with the results, and it has been a pleasure to watch children thrive in their new and improved learning environments.”

The redevelopment represents a new era for Essa Primary Academy, rated "good with outstanding elements" during its last Ofsted inspection, and builds upon recent successes for the school community.

Parents interested in visiting the school ahead of the next intake window should contact office@efatrust.org to see the progress and development in person.

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