Justine Greening cuts ribbon at Oasis Academy Putney


Justine Greening MP gets a little help from the pupils

The children and teachers of Putney’s newest primary school were joined by their parents, and some local well-wishers and invited guests today to celebrate the official opening of Oasis Academy Putney today (19 January). The Secretary of State for Education and local MP, Justine Greening, cut the ribbon during a special assembly and declared the Academy open.

It has not been smooth sailing all the way with the school unable to open to pupils as planned in September 2016 due to construction delays and on going issues between local pressure group Friends of Putney Common and the Wimbledon and Putney Common Conservators over access to the school over common land.

In front of their attentive audience, the school’s reception class welcomed their guests and then performed a number of songs, before the Education Secretary was invited to declare the Academy open. The children presented special thank you cards to the organisations who made their school possible: Wandsworth Council, Oasis Community Learning, Wimbledon and Putney Common Conservators and Durkan.


Justine Greening MP and Steve Chalke (founder of Oasis charity) help plant tree

At the conclusion of the ceremony, two of the pupils were helped by Ms Greening to plant a tree at the entrance to the school. The tree now stands as a reminder of the opening event, and its growth and development will reflect that of the children as they progress through the Academy.

Education Secretary, Justine Greening, said, “Opening Oasis Academy primary school in Putney was a real honour. The new building is hugely impressive and its first group of pupils have made a great start‎ and happily settled into what I am sure will be a fantastic local school for parents and our community. It has all the right tools to give children an excellent education. I wish the teachers, staff and pupils all the best for the future and I look forward to hearing about their progress.”

Di Morgan, Executive Principal of the new school said, “Today is a very proud moment for all of us at Oasis Academy Putney, and for the large number of people whose vision and hard work has contributed to the completion of this beautiful new school for future generations of Putney children. Oasis Academy Putney is already a happy, safe and challenging environment, in which local children are flourishing academically and growing into caring and responsible members of their local community.””

A spokesperson for Friends of Putney Common said, "FofPC wishes the school and all its pupils every success in the future."


January 20, 2017