THE plans for a new £5.5 million primary school for Selby were discussed at a packed public meeting.

Parents gathered at Selby Town Hall to learn more about the new Staynor Hall Community Primary Academy, which is currently being built and is due to open in September 2016.

Head teacher designate Gail Brown addressed more than 150 parents, carers and children at an information evening, which also involved colleagues from other schools in the York-based Ebor Academy Trust, which runs Haxby Road and Robert Wilkinson Academies and will run the new school.

Mrs Brown said: “There was a lot of enthusiasm in the room for the new school and I am privileged to be its first head teacher. We are very keen to be part of the family of schools in Selby and I’m delighted that everyone is looking forward to the new school in Staynor Hall.”

North Yorkshire County Council has assessed the need for extra primary school places which are likely to arise from the Selby’s new housing in different year groups in 2016/2017.

As a result it has been agreed that the new school, in addition to opening up 30 Reception places to children starting school for the first time, should also offer places to pupils in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4. This will enable families moving into the housing development with children in these year groups to have a school place close to where they will be living.

Parents were told that building work is progressing well and the school will open in time. It will be equipped with the latest technology and will also host a Tiny Steps Academy for eligible two-year-olds and a nursery for three and four-year-olds.

Mrs Brown said: “Parents were asking about wrap-around care – breakfast clubs and after-school provision. We will certainly be offering this provision as part of our ambition for the school to be at the heart of the Staynor Hall community.

"We have yet to work out the details, and the timings of the provision, but we will aim to fit in with what the demand is. It’s the same, too, with the idea of holiday clubs. If there is sufficient demand, we will do our best to satisfy that demand.”

More details, once agreed, will be posted to the new school’s website, www.staynorhallschool.org and parents can add their email addresses onto the site to receive automatic notifications when new information is released.

By law, all new schools now have to be either free schools or academies and Staynor Hall marks the first such school for North Yorkshire County Council. The county council will meet all costs in setting it up, with a contribution towards capital costs and the provision of the site from house builders Persimmon.

The deadline for admissions is January 15 and they are being coordinated through North Yorkshire County Council’s website, www.northyorks.gov.uk