Recent local press: an update about our eco primary school

Extraordinary vision

Creating a school, from scratch, is no mean feat. There are many things in day-to-day life that we take for granted, things so familiar that we lose sight of their extraordinary complexity – in establishing them, nurturing them into life, growing and maintaining them, ensuring that they are rooted firmly and so are able to serve the communities that they are a part of, long into the future.

Sky Primary and Eden Project Nursery took on that mission – along with a bold new vision to create responsible citizens of the future, in a world that is ever-changing.

Introducing our headteacher

While Sky Primary and Eden Project Nursery has had some delays, it has turned problem into opportunity in order to create a memorable beginning for its first pupils.

Emma Vyvyan is the headteacher of the new school. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, Emma wanted to return home to her Cornish roots to give all children an outstanding education so they have the very best possible opportunities in life – she has since spent more than 20 years of understanding individual needs and helping children in more vulnerable positions fulfil their full potential.

Paving the way

Emma said: “It’s an exciting partnership with the Eden Project, developing a new curriculum that connects learning, wellbeing and the natural environment. This doesn’t mean that maths, English and science won’t be taught. Early Years Foundation stage framework will still be there and we’ll be using the National Curriculum as the foundation for our own that we’re developing in partnership with Eden project – a first for the whole team.”

Just as the building is a model for others to follow, the hope is that the visionary curriculum itself will be adopted by other schools, and Emma and the team at Kernow Learning have plans to offer their knowledge and experience to train others.

Places still available

“There will be more focus on real life and relevance. We also know that outdoor learning has a positive effect on children’s attitudes, interpersonal skills and academic skills. Whenever we can, we’ll take the classroom outside, allowing children experience learning alongside nature and the outdoors, where they can flourish. We’re calling it ‘Pushing Out The Classroom Walls’ – learning beyond the classroom.”

The initial intake is for 30 reception-aged children, and 15 nursery-aged children in any one session – partly out of respect the other local schools in the area, where older children might move across leaving classes empty, and partly because of the nature of this fledgling school, born among the domes of Eden.

But as West Carclaze Garden Village grows, so will the school, eventually opening its doors to the wider community too. Once the school is fully operational, it will have capacity for 210 children, with the possibility of an increase to 420 children in total.

There are still some places available for the first intake: To apply for a reception school place, you can contact the school admissions team at Cornwall Council here. For children of nursery aged 3-4, you can contact through the school website: sky.kernowlearning.co.uk