A NEW school serving the people of Worcester is to open this week.

Friday evening (September 6) will see the grand opening of the North Worcester Primary Academy on land which was the former park and ride site in Perdiswell.

However, children will be at the school from the start of term on Wednesday, September 4.

The new school was given the go-ahead to cater for the over-subscribed catchment area in North Worcester after pupils struggled to find places at schools near their homes.

North Worcester Primary Academy will be the eleventh school to join the Rivers CE Academy Trust.

The opening event, from 5pm onwards, features more than 75 invited guests including the Mayor of Worcester, Allah Ditta and MP for the city Robin Walker.

The school will have an initial intake of 54 reception pupils and 32 pre-school children.

Kate Brunt, CEO of the Rivers Academy Trust, said: "We are all relieved and excited that we are opening.

"We have been really really lucky with opening on time and it has been a real team effort with so many people working really hard to get the school open on time.

"The main thing is how fantastic the community has been with engagement.

"We had 30 parents helping to prepare the school with setting up the Mud Kitchen.

"It has been tremendous teamwork all round."

Sian Williams, already headteacher at Northwick Manor Primary, has been appointed as executive headteacher at the school, in John Comyn Drive, Worcester.

The opening event, from 5pm onwards, features more than 75 invited guests such as the Mayor of Worcester, Allah Ditta and MP for the city Robin Walker.

The school will have an initial intake of 60 reception pupils and up to 26 pre-school children.

The project was given the go-ahead after high demand in the north of city lead Northwick Manor Primary School to offer a fourth ‘bulge’ class in 2016 after 30 pupils living in the catchment were unable to find spaces at their closest schools.

Read more: New school in North Worcester to open in 2019

Read more: The lost class: 16 families in Worcester with no place at their local schools

Landscaped grounds will include a year-round astroturf sports field as well as a well-established forest school area.

Classrooms will have climate control while specialist subject rooms will give the space and resources for pupils to take part in regular practical activities in STEM subjects and food technology.

Sian Williams has been appointed as executive headteacher at the school, in John Comyn Drive, Worcester.

The Rivers Trust currently runs 10 other academies, North Worcester will be the 11th.