This week sees the arrival of a royal visitor to the region as Princess Anne makes a visit to the town to officially open a new Scunthorpe school.

The Princess Royal is scheduled to fly into Humberside Airport on the morning of 19th January and then head over to the towns Melior Community College on Chandos Road by royal car arriving at 10:45.

The school was built as part of the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ program and cost £18 million to complete. The school was formed as a result of the merger between South Leys School on the Riddings Estate & Thomas Sumpter School on Westcliff. The name Melior was chosen by former South Leys pupil, Codey Williams of Bottesford and is Latin worded meaning; To make or to become better, to be more satisfactory; to improve.

Melior Community College operated on two different sites, North & South sites, before all pupils moved to the North Site in September 2010 and then into the new building by June last year. The old North Site building had 14 entrances and security was always a problem, the new building has fewer entrances all controlled by a swipe card system. The merger of the two schools and subsequent move into the new school has seen a reduction of 86 staff members.

With tight security in place and no movement allowed during the royal visit pupils have been asked to arrive at school for 9:30am on the day where they will have a two-hour lesson. There will be a range of VIP’s Guests & councillors who have been asked to arrive at the school at 9:45am where they will be accommodated in the atrium.

Princess Anne will be taking a tour of the school meeting various staff and students with Head teacher Angela Briggs. The tour is expected to start in the Design Technology department and the head to the Maths landing across the balcony.  After a short break to watch students perform music, dance and drama on stage she hen be shown around the English department and meet the Student Council. Each member of staff she meets has been asked to produce a mini biography for the Princess Royal to learn so she can ask them about their achievements and experiences.
A number of lucky students will be selected to meet the Royal guest where they will present a small gift and flowers, an art competition has also been held to offer Princess Anne the best the school has to offer.

After a private conference she will then be meeting families and commanding officers of the three fallen soldiers who attended the school – Anthony Lombardi, Ben Leaning and Brian Budd. They lost their lives serving in Afghanistan and Iraq; a Hero’s Wall will be put in place in the schools reception area.

Before Princess leaves at midday many of the 800 students will be invited to the atrium where she will perform the Official Opening of the school giving a short speech and then revealing a plaque commemorating the lost soldiers.

Speaking in the school paper senior staff member, Mr. G Levitt, said, “I think it’s a great honour for Melior that somebody so well respected should chose to open our school.”

Head Teacher Mrs. Briggs added she, “didn’t the old school building on the North Site as it seemed dull and dingy but then it’s not about the building it’s about the people in it, “ she continued, “overall the behaviour is much better. We were clever in the way we designed this building making everything open and bright. The problem area of the old school were places like toilets where smoking and bullying would take place, whereas in the new school we have open plan toilets to ensure this no longer exists.”

Whilst the new bulding is now up and running the old school at the North Site has now been demolished and landscaping is currently taking place.

After the Princess leaves the school she will be heading for further engagements including Lincoln, Sleaford and London.

*Aerial photo coutesy of Paul Rhoades