First day for children at new Hillside Primary School, Newsome

Nov 10 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“ON top of the world” is how headteacher Dawn Horton described her mood as children walked through the doors of the new Hillside Primary School for the first time.

The new Newsome school, off Headfield Road, opened to pupils yesterday.

The £7.4m building, which is now home to 320 children, is the most environmentally friendly within Kirklees.

Solar panels, a wind turbine, a biomass boiler using compressed wood pellets and a special system to recycle water will all ensure this is an energy efficient school with the greenest of credentials.

“It’s stunning.The architect asked me what I wanted from this new building and I said the wow factor,” said Mrs Horton.

“That is exactly what we have got. We’re on top of the world.”

Mrs Horton said the school, which replaces Stile Common Juniors and Stile Common Infant and Nursery Schools, was the culmination of five years of hard work.

She said the 60-strong staff team had worked from 7.30am to 6pm last week to ensure the school was ready to open to pupils yesterday.

Parents and children’s reaction to the new school ranged from “wicked”, “gorgeous”, “phenomenal” and “something to be proud of” to “I wish I could go back to school!”