Schools 'at heart of community' welcome 100 pupils

The photo shows four students sitting at a desk with a pen in their hand and a piece of paper on the desk. They're all wearing maroon jumpers. A female teacher, wearing a white hijab and with a green lanyard around her neck is sitting down next to them paying attention to what they are writing. In the background are baskets and drawers.

Scartho Gateway Academy opened it doors to 76 children, from reception to Year 4

Grace McGrory
BBC News

Two primary schools have opened in North East Lincolnshire.

Scartho Gateway Academy and Waltham Gateway Academy, which will be run by Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust, have welcomed about 100 pupils across the two sites.

According to North East Lincolnshire Council, they are the first to be built in the area for decades.

Melanie Portlock, the principal of Scartho Gateway Academy, said: "This morning has been fantastic. This school is going to be at the heart of the community."

The schools have been built in Matthew Telford Park, Scartho, and on land off Sunningdale in Waltham, with funding from the council and the Department for Education.

Scartho Gateway Academy will eventually offer 210 places for students, including 12 places for students with special educational needs and disabilities.

Mrs Portlock added: "This has been more than two years in the making.

"We've got some good strong relationships between us, we've taken on hurdles and got there in the end to create this amazing school."

The photo shows two women smiling at the camera. The woman on the left has glasses and ginger hair. She's wearing a black blazer and green lanyard. The woman on the right has brown hair which has been put into a ponytail. She's wearing a black and white striped blazer. They're standing in a playground, which you can see behind them.

Principals Melanie Portlock, left, and Lindsay Holness said it had been a positive first day for both schools

Students at Waltham Gateway Academy were welcomed into temporary buildings, and will be transferred on to their new site when it is fully complete during October half term.

School principal Lindsay Holness said: "We're calling it our little village. Our children are loving it.

"They're enjoying playtime, they're making friends, they're having fun - and they're happy."

Joe White, deputy service director at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "These two schools are both situated in places where we've had growth, in terms of new-build houses, over many years.

"It's really important for us to make sure that children are able to access education in their local community."

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