PICTURES: Construction works progress at multi-million pound secondary school on the edge of Northampton

Take a look at how construction works are progressing at a multi-million pound secondary school being built on the edge of Northampton.

Works are well underway to build a brand new school for 1,200 students in Thorpeville, near Moulton.

Construction work on the multi-million pound ‘Northampton School’ began in March and has progressed at pace over the last six months.

Assistant headteacher at the school, Katy-Jane Wilkins took all the new staff to visit the site at the start of the year and says she was ‘amazed’ at the progress that had been made over the summer.

She said: “You can’t quite believe how quickly work has progressed on the facilities with many of the classrooms starting to be fitted out. The performing arts facilities and sports fields are going to be amazing for our students.”

Until the school is complete in spring 2024, students starting in September 2023 are currently attending the school’s temporary accommodation at Northampton School For Boys in Billing Road.

Headteacher of Northampton School, Matthew Edwards, said: “It’s great to finally have students with us after all the time we have spent working on the project. They have already demonstrated that they are a fantastic group and are really throwing themselves into the life of the school and, in particular, participating in the many extracurricular activities that are available for them.

“The school is on schedule to be completed on time and the staff at the school are hopeful that they will be able to have some time in the new buildings before the end of this academic year next July.”

Fortunately, the brand-new school has been unaffected by any issues surrounding RAAC or modular construction, the headteacher added.

Northampton School is hosting a presentation evening on Wednesday (September 27) in the Cripps Hall Theatre on Billing Road which will give Year 6 parents and children information about the school and the admissions process next year. For those interested, book your space on Eventbrite.

The school, for both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 16, is being funded by the Government and run by Northampton School for Boys (NSB) Academy Trust, with no interference from the local authority, thus making it a 'free school'.

The published contract value for the site is £27.6million, according to site contractors, Algeco.

A Northampton School for Boys (NSB) Academy Trust spokesman said: "The new school will help meet the significant additional need in the area for secondary school places due to growth in the town's primary school population and to the extensive new housing being built in and around Northampton."

Plans to build the school were approved by WNC in February 2022.

Several sites were considered by the DfE but the 24-acre plot in Thorpeville, provided by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), was deemed the most suitable.

WNC cabinet member for finance Malcolm Longley previously said: “We believe that providing this land is an excellent opportunity to secure a new school in an area where one is needed.”

The scheme will see the school leased to the provider on a 125-year agreement with a peppercorn rent.

Nearby, thousands of homes are being built as part of the Overstone Gate housing development just off the A43.