A new school for pupils who have may have been excluded or deemed challenging is finally up and running, but its wait to move into its Spalding premises goes on.
Springwell Alternative Academy Spalding was due to open at the former Post 16 Centre on Matmore Gate in September 2018.
The school officially became up and running on April 1 this year but at an undisclosed temporary location with the Spalding site remaining unavailable due to what executive principal Phil Willott, called a “contractual” issue.
It’s now hoped to move into Matmore Gate in January 2020.
Mr Willott has worked in both specialist, inner-city and mainstream schools in a 15-year career and is also the executive principle of a school in Grantham, part of the 20 schools in the Wellspring Academy Trust.
“Working with young people and in education at any level is a challenge with lots of external pressure,” Mr Willott said. “A lot of these young people have had a difficult education experience and some of them are coming through lots of barriers.
“We have to break down those barriers and support them so they can have the best development they can and grow up to have successful careers and positive impacts on their local communities.
Mr Willott describes his work as “absolutely rewarding and that his values” match that of the Wellspring Academy Trust.
He says he’s looking to working with residents who have expressed concerns over the school eventually moving to Matmore Gate including worries over increased traffic in and the impact the school, which would have a capacity for 63 pupils, will have on the area.
“A lot of it is about the unknown,” Mr Willott said. “People don’t know what we do and I understand and respect that.
“It will take time and when we do move in people will see these are just young people at the end of the day.
“We’re already working with the local authorities on traffic issues so there are no considerable additions to the traffic situation in the road when we move in.
“We hope it will help ease any anxiety.
“So far the Springwell Alternative Academy Spalding is going really well.
“We want to be in the new building as a lot of the challenges day to day are about the environment you’re in.
“The new building will be huge in terms of environment.
“Each room is being laid out based on research and the Wellspring Academy’s experience of teaching specialist young people.
Having that environment helps staff to plan and be more creative with their lessons.”
