VICTORIAN NURSERY’S HI-TECH MAKEOVER

Mon 22nd February 2010 3.50PM

THE Victorian nursery playroom in Wilmslow’s former Manor House has been transformed into a state-ofthe- art Information Communications Technology centre. In the 1880s brewing magnate Henry Boddington transformed Pownall Hall, with the help of the arts movement the New Century Guild, turning the 13th Century building into a living art gallery. However, whereas the Boddington brood of children were entertained by stained glass windows and ornate paintings depicting famous legends and nursery rhymes, today’s Pownall Hall School pupils enjoy a phalanx of 22 flat screen computers complete with contemporary interactive technology.

The ICT suite was funded courtesy of the Pownall Hall School’s Parents Association, which donated nearly £30,000 for the hardware and the conversion. Pownall Hall School Headmaster, Jonathan Hall, said: “This is a wonderful learning environment, not only do we have the very latest technology, but the stained glass windows, paintings and wonderful woodwork give us so much information about the Victorian era.” Mr Hall added: “The children learn the very latest skills, working in a room which simply breathes history and tradition.” Throughout the room are depictions of St George and Dragon, The House That Jack Built and even Simple Simon, nursery rhymes that still survive today.

Pownall Hall Chair of Governors, Sue Page, said: “The Governors are very grateful to the Parents' Association for enabling us to install this superb, state of the art ICT suite. Mrs Page added: “It is a wonderful facility available to all our pupils and is ideally sited in the former Nursery Playroom which was later used the Old Library, demonstrating how well ultra-modern facilities can fit into our historic setting.”