Posted on Monday 20th January 2025
Headteacher Julie Wood, Teresa Douglas (Pauline Carmichael’s sister), Charlotte Seward (Pauline Carmichael’s niece) and Jonathan Price.
Children at Walton Hall Academy in Eccleshall have settled in and are enjoying their new classrooms and state of the art facilities.
The Carmichael Suite, named in memory of Pauline Carmichael who served as academy principal between 2013 and 2017, is the result of the cooperation between Walton Hall Academy and Staffordshire County Council, who jointly funded the building at a cost of £651,497.
The building was designed by Entrust and built by Fords of Blythe Bridge between 2023 and 2024. It features two bespoke, modern and spacious classrooms and accessible facilities tailored to meet the complex needs students already attending the school.
“Walton Hall Academy has experienced a significant increase of demand for places over the past ten years, so we are incredibly excited to unveil this new space.”
Said Julie Wood, Principal of Walton Hall Academy.
“The Carmichael Suite represents our dedication to providing an inclusive and supportive environment to our Key Stage 3 children with severe learning difficulties, where every student can flourish. Our children need the correct environment to enable them to benefit from their education and their teachers can focus on teaching them without worrying about the impact of overcrowded classrooms.”
Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education (including SEND), Jonathan Price, said:
"Ensuring children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities have access to the education they need for them to thrive, remains a priority for the county council. It’s great to hear the students are enjoying their new facilities. The new unit provides a purpose-built environment, tailored to meet the needs of students. The project is part of wider council plans to create additional school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities and improve existing facilities at schools right across the county. I’m incredibly proud and pleased that we have been able to make this much needed development happen and look forward to seeing the children benefit from this.”
The opening ceremony that took place on Friday 17 January, included a singing performance by students, ribbon-cutting, tree planting, and a reception with light refreshments and cakes organised by The Friends of Walton Hall. Students, parents and carers, Pauline Carmichael’s family, County Councillor Jonathan Price and other partners and colleagues joined the celebration and witnessed first-hand the positive impact this development has already had on the school community.
The county council continues to work hard to provide children with special educational needs and disabilities the support they need at the earliest possible point. It has invested in additional educational psychologists, SEND keyworkers and Early Years SENCOs to speed up and support with the increasing demand for assessments.