Managers at The King's School in Chester have announced plans to open a fee-paying infant school for children as young as four.
The brand new infant school will be built within the existing campus on Wrexham Road, Chester and is expected to open in September 2015.
An announcement was placed on the King’s Chester Alumni facebook page and parents have been receiving letters about the new development.
The news comes after years of planning from governors and the school’s management team, who are confident the infant school will offer the ‘very best in early years education’.
Plans have been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council for the self-contained school, which will have its own access road.
If given the go-ahead, parents will pay approximately £2,600 per term for their four-seven-year-olds to attend the school, described as ‘eco-friendly and a ‘colourful’ environment in a planning brochure distributed by the school.
Children attending the infant school will not need to pass an exam but will attend an assessment morning. Infants who attend the school will not have to pass an exam to move up to the junior school, to allow for a ‘smooth transition’.
The school will have its own headteacher and will have two reception classes, one Year 1 and Year 2 class from September 2015 – this is hoped to be expanded to two Year 1 and 2 classes by September 2016.
In an announcement to King’s alumni headteacher Chris Ramsey, said: “We have sought advice from leading professionals in infant provision in the planning of the new school and I am confident it will offer the very best in early years education.
“Here at King’s we are very excited about the new school and the added strength it will bring to the King’s family.”
Plans have not yet been submitted to the CWaC planning department for the infant school, which, if built, will have an exclusive dining area and playground. The children will also have supervised access to King’s swimming pool, theatre and sports facilities.
For more on the plans see next Thursday’s Chester Chronicle.