Princes Risborough School officially opens new building

Named the ‘Hawthorn Building’ after a road near the establishment, delegates from Buckinghamshire Council as well as members of staff officially cut the ribbon of the new facility on Wednesday, October 2.

The project, which has been in the pipeline since 2021, cost roughly £1.4m - £1.6m and will facilitate students for their social science, PE theory, performing arts and PCSE lessons.

It has been in use since the start of the academic year in September by students in year seven (11 and 12-year-olds) up to sixth formers (16-18-year-olds).

The school is based on Merton Road (Image: NQ)

Susan Gough, who works for the Insignis Academy Trust which helps Risborough (along with four other secondary schools in the county), with their strategic planning, told the Free Press: “It has been in the background for a little while and it was built throughout the whole of last year.

“It is very modern, clean, there is a lot of light that comes in and the rooms just look fabulous.

“You also get a gorgeous view of the Chiltern Hills from one room, and not every school can say that.

“The school took on a bumper year so we had used some temporary classrooms but we have now got this facility and the students love it.

One of the new classrooms (Image: NQ)

“The students have really appreciated it because they think they are being looked after.

“They’re learning in a fantastic environment.”

Vincent Forshaw, who is Risborough’s Head of School, added: “The building has embedded well into the local landscape, and this is an eco-building design.

“It has sustainable steel and timber so this is a school for the future.

“The vision for this was put in place about three years ago because the school was over-subscribed as we took on additional students.

“This school’s motto is inspire and achieve, so we want our students to be in an inspiring, fresh, and clean classroom environment, which is also ambitious.

“We have been renovating the school and all the classrooms are being upgraded, but none are as good as this.

“This is the crown of the school.

Princes Risborough School is one of the five schools to be under the Insignis Academy Trust umbrella.

The trust, which was formed in 2016, helps establishments outline and secure their goals through their guidance, with Risborough joining the Sir William Ramsey School in High Wycombe, along with Mandeville, Sir Henry Floyd and Kingsbrook in Aylesbury.