MP Alice Macdonald calls for Angel Road school conversion

Alice Macdonald, Labour MP for Norwich North, has urged County Hall to bring the Angel Road Junior School building back into use.

The school suddenly closed down more than three years ago after tiles fell from the ceiling and could sit empty for another decade unless Norfolk County Council agrees a new lease. 

Ms Macdonald told parliament that "urgent action" was required and expressed her hopes to see the site turned into a school for children with special educational needs (SEND). 

SCHOOL SCANDAL

Since its closure in 2021, the school site has been left empty, with delays in securing a future for it branded a "scandal" by opposition councillors at County Hall.

The closed Angel Road Junior School (Image: Denise Bradley) The site is currently leased by the Evolution Trust, which runs Angel Road Infant School, in the same street, and Angel Road Junior School which has relocated to the infant school.

The derelict site is due to be returned to Norfolk County Council.

However, the government has told County Hall the return needs to be tied in with renewing the lease for the infant school site.

The current lease on Angel Road Infant School is due to expire in 2035, meaning unless current renegotiations conclude the junior school site will remain in limbo.

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A spokeswoman for Evolution Trust said: "We are committed to supporting all pupils in the region, including pupils with SEND and would always support increased provision generally. 

"However, we are unable to comment on the future of the site as this will be determined by Norfolk County Council."

The closed Angel Road Junior School (Image: Denise Bradley)

CALLS FOR 'URGENT ACTION'

Ms Macdonald told parliament: "We have been campaigning to turn Angel Road junior school into a specialist school and we hope that the county council will act urgently to ensure that is the case.

"The SEND system is in crisis, and Norfolk is emblematic of that crisis."

Labour's Steve Morphew, Alice Macdonald and Julie Brociek-Coulton at the Angel Road Junior School site (Image: Norwich Labour) READ MORE: GP surgery in growing area of Norfolk threatened with closure

She added: "I would urge the county council to work with me and local councillors so that we can turn the empty building at Angel Road into a specialist school which is so desperately needed.

"It is incumbent on all of us to work together across political parties to do this and ensure all children get a great education."

WHAT NOW?

The Angel Road building continues to sit empty and discussions are ongoing at County Hall to determine the future of the site. 

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children’s Services at Norfolk County Council said: "We are currently renegotiating the terms of the lease, to ensure that the building can be transferred to the county council as quickly as possible. 

"We will then be able to fully consider options for the site, which will include exploring future use for education in the first instance. This will include looking at whether it is the right site for specialist education provision as part of our Local First Inclusion programme."

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children’s Services at Norfolk County Council (Image: James Bass) Following the closure of Angel Road junior school, pupils were taught in spare classrooms at both Angel Road Infant School and nearby St Clement's Hill Primary.

Initially, the Evolution Trust had planned for this to be a short-term measure and had hoped to move children back into the junior school site.

However, the trust eventually decided to instead carry out expansions to Angel Road Infant School in the same street to accommodate both schools.

They have shared this site since September 2022, with the expansion currently provided by modular buildings.