‘Modern and immaculate’ brand new net-zero 'ghost school' will never open after ‘being built in wrong place’

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Aerial footage shows the brand new net-zero 'ghost school' with a playground and a sports field which will never open after it was built in “completely the wrong place”.

A newly built net-zero primary school has closed before a single pupil entered a classroom due to lack of demand.

Waterside Primary School was supposed to open last September and promised to serve 210 pupils with 30 nursery places on offer. But only a few parents applied for their children to attend the school so it was shut before term even started.

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The school project was overseen by the Department for Education (DfE), and the Greenwood Academies Trust had intended to run it. Last month, the DfE pulled funding from the school due to low pupil demand and the academy trust has also pulled out of the agreement. The trust says it will now be trying to find an “alternate use for the site”.

The 210-place Waterside Primary School, Nottingham, featuring a nursery, was due to open on the growing Trent Basin estate in September last year.The 210-place Waterside Primary School, Nottingham, featuring a nursery, was due to open on the growing Trent Basin estate in September last year.
The 210-place Waterside Primary School, Nottingham, featuring a nursery, was due to open on the growing Trent Basin estate in September last year. | Tom Maddick / SWNS

The brand new building, in Trent Basin, Nottingham, complete with playground and a sports field, has now been dubbed a 'ghost school' by residents.

One local, who did not want to be named, said: “My wife and I are retired and our children have grown up and flown the nest. I can only think of a handful of families with school age children living here so I am not surprised the school shut before it even opened. It seems an awful waste of money and something which really should have been foreseen. It’s a shame because the school buildings look immaculate and very modern but sadly it’s been built in completely the wrong place.”

A spokesperson said: “In recent conversations, it has become apparent that, with surplus primary places in the area there is not sufficient demand for this school to fulfil the rigorous criteria for meeting place planning needs and that the DfE would not, therefore, put in place a funding agreement to open the school.

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“As a result, the Trust made the difficult decision to reluctantly withdraw as the prospective operator of the school.

“As a Trust, we are dedicated to supporting our communities and we will continue to work closely alongside local partners to uphold this commitment.

“This includes recommending an alternate use for the site which will benefit the educational landscape of the area and we will be sharing more details of this proposal in due course.”

A DfE spokesperson previously said: “Ministers have accepted Greenwood Academies Trust’s request to withdraw the Waterside Primary pipeline project from the pre-opening stage.

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“Our priority is to establish schools where there is a need for places and ensure government funding is targeted to where it is most needed.

“The demand for places at the proposed school has not materialised at the rate expected in Nottingham City Council’s basic need forecasts.”

A council spokesperson added: “The Department for Education has confirmed that the proposed Waterside Primary Academy does not currently meet the rigorous criteria it sets for the funding of free schools and that the proposers, the Greenwood Academies Trust have decided to withdraw their application.

“We are in discussions with the department about the best way forward for the site.”

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