THE Grange School is set to move from St James Street to a new site adjoining Monmouth School's Sports Complex on the Hadnock Road following a successful planning application, The Beacon can reveal. The Prep department for Monmouth School caters for boys aged seven to eleven and is excited about the prospect of moving sometime during 2009 to their brand-new, modern school building. Head Teacher Mrs Elaine Thomas said "We have been very happy with The Grange over the years – it comprises a fine group of listed, historic buildings of great charm and character and it has served us well. "However, quite simply, we have outgrown it! Needless to say a fine, new purpose- built school designed to our own specifications is, of course, a fantastic way of taking the school forward. "Classrooms will be light, airy and spacious and all will have a lovely outlook over the play areas, trees and woodland beyond. We will be able to go straight out of school into an area of outstanding natural beauty with its network of footpaths and newly opened Peregrine Cycleway. "We will have designated subject specific rooms – a science lab, art studio and large central library linking in with the adjacent state of the art ICT suite, a large music room big enough to house our orchestra and a suite of music practice rooms. In addition we will have our own dining hall and kitchens which will enable us to continue with the excellent catering arrangements that we enjoy at present. "Parking, picking up and dropping off will be much more straightforward for parents and will ease some of the traffic congestion in the town. "Naturally we are very excited – an added bonus is that the new Grange will be ideally situated right next door to our fantastic sports facilities – all weather pitch, swimming pool, sports hall and playing fields that we share with the senior school. It really is a very exciting development." The Bursar, Nigel James, who will be overseeing the project said, "Now that we have gained planning permission, we have put the scheme out for tender and are looking to include design innovations which will provide a wonderful environment for our pupils to learn and develop in. "We are greatly looking forward to working with our Architects, Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams, who also designed the new sports pavilion, to deliver another high quality new facility for the School."
