An independent Cardiff school has expanded its presence at a city business park after a seeing a significant increase in student numbers.
St John’s College, a day school for 3-18-year-olds, has had a university-style campus for its sixth-form students since 2018 at Eastern Business Park in St Mellons, owned by developer Robert Hitchins Ltd.
Now, following a 30% increase in its enrolment, the school has taken another 4,500 sq ft at the site to provide additional study areas and three new fully equipped science laboratories.
Francis Taylor, Director of Co-curriculum and Digital Learning at St John’s College, said both the school and the students have benefitted from being based at Eastern Business Park.
“We have invested heavily in new state-of-the-art science laboratories within the new, additional ground-floor suite. These outstanding spaces provide our students with university-level facilities, preparing them for higher education and future careers. This further investment at Eastern Business Park strengthens the College’s commitment to providing the highest quality A Level education, whilst also supporting a local business site.”
St John’s students have access to all the facilities the park has to offer, including the Energie Fitness gym, Milk & Sugar restaurant, and green open spaces.
Mr Taylor said: “The students enjoy mixing with the staff of the various businesses located in the park and some have even undertaken work experience in these organisations.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience the independence of a campus environment before university.
“Having the campus has also helped us attract a wider range of students from the UK and overseas, including from Europe and Asia.”
John Jones, Senior Asset and Development Manager at Robert Hitchins Ltd, said: “We were delighted to hear the College wished to take further space on the Park, and their new laboratories add a further dimension to our unique offering.
“The students make use of the facilities on the Park and are always professional, polite and a credit to the College. We look forward to welcoming more students from around the world to experience the Park and our unique offer to those seeking a business location with a difference.”
In 2022 St John’s College was named the Best Independent School in Wales for Academic Outcomes by the Sunday Times, and this year is a finalist in the Cardiff Life Awards education category.
The school offers a large co-curricular programme, as well as wide-ranging opportunities in sport, music, drama and chess. It is the choir school to Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral.
