Three new schools in Swindon will this week officially open their doors to pupils for the first time.

The Deanery Church of England Academy secondary in Wichelstowe, William Morris Primary School in Tadpole Garden Village and Badbury Park Primary School at Badbury Park are set to welcome their first intake of pupils. It is the first time that this many schools have opened simultaneously in Swindon.

The new schools will mean there are a total of 1,200 school spaces available for secondary aged children and 1,260 school places available for primary aged children in Swindon.

This is in contrast to the situation in other parts of the country. The Local Government Association recently reported that by 2024-25, 71 councils will face not being able to meet demand for 123,195 school places.

Over the past few years, members of Swindon Borough Council’s Education team have managed to secure external investment to the tune of approximately £105m. This has helped to ensure that, as the town expands, there are still plenty of options for parents when deciding which school to send their children to.

The Deanery CofE Academy secondary in Wichelstowe will be opening to students on Wednesday, 4 September. The school is run by the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust and places great importance on educational excellence with a strong Christian ethos.

William Morris Primary and Badbury Park Primary will open on Friday, 6 September and are run by The Blue Kite Academy Trust, which is also responsible for running Ferndale Primary and Nursery School, Ruskin Junior School and Abbey Meads Community Primary School.

Councillor Russell Holland, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Commercialisation, Education and Skills, said: “One of our key Priorities is to ensure that the very best education provision is in place for young people in Swindon.

“I am grateful to everyone who has worked extremely hard to ensure that we have these great new schools opening in our area. This represents a great investment in the future of our town.”

Linda Culling, Principal at the Deanery Academy, said: “Our vision is to transform the lives of our students and their families to enable them to live life in all its fullness. We have hope at the very centre of all things we do and aim to provide an exceptional education in fantastic facilities.”