Princess Anne made a flying visit to Macclesfield to formally open the Fermain Academy.
The Queen’s daughter flew in by helicopter landing at the King’s School‘s playing fields, ahead of her trip to the free school for pupils with behavioural and attendance problems.
She formally opened the academy on Oxford Road which started teaching its cohort of boys and girls in September last year.
The Princess Royal, 66, was greeted on her arrival by the Mayor of Cheshire East, Councillor Olivia Hunter; Mike Suarez, Chief Executive of Cheshire East Council; Macclesfield MP David Rutley; and Nigel Mansell, president of UK Youth, before a tour of the building by principal Nic Brindle, where she met staff and students.
Mr Brindle said: “Our students did themselves and the school proud today when speaking to Her Royal Highness about their time at the Fermain Academy.
“We are extremely optimistic about the future of the school and continuing to help as many vulnerable young people as possible to reach their full potential.”
Based at the Fermain Centre on Oxford Road, the site of the recently former iMacc Youth Club, the Fermain School caused concern among residents before it opened due to fears of antisocial behaviour as well as traffic and parking problems.
But speaking after a successful first term, Mr Brindle says the fears have proved unfounded with no complaints.
Speaking about the pupils’ progress so far, he said: “For some it’s a shock to the system as they’re not used to educational settings but we have 40 per cent of Year 11s sitting higher tier A to C grade GCSEs which is incredible. And we have an attendance rate just shy of 94pc when some had 17pc attendance before coming here.
“The students are feeling quite positive. One parent whose daughter has always struggled with education summed it up when she said she saw her playing rounders and felt like crying as she’d never see her so engaged in something.”
He added that there was still ‘lots to do’ but that the foundations were ‘solid’. He said: “We have established a very good working relationship with residents and all the local schools are supporting us.”
After visiting the school, Princess Anne then returned to King’s to fly to her next engagement.
A number of King’s pupils abandoned their half-term plans to meet Princess Anne whose first thought was for the affect of the helicopter’s propeller. Kate Marsh, 17, from Macclesfield, said it was an honour to meet her.
She said: “She said she was surprised anyone had turned up to meet her during half term and that she hoped my hair hadn’t been ruined by the helicopter. I told her not to worry about my hair and that I would not have missed the opportunity.”
Michael Abrahamse, 17, from Tytherington, added: “She had three official functions for Monday, and apparently maintains that level of work day in day out, and what concerned her most was hair styles. It was a lovely moment for us all.”
Dr Simon Hyde, King’s headmaster, added: “Her Royal Highness was not too concerned about my hair, but she did want to know what activities the school was doing through half term and I was able to briefly tell her about our Sixth Form exchange trip to Germany, the Year 11 trip to Paris and the Duke of Edinburgh’s awards student expeditions in Yorkshire.”
It’s the third time the Royal Flight has used the King’s Westminster Road playing fields in 10 years.
