Plans unveiled to demolish unsafe primary school in Northampton – with a target opening date revealed for its replacement

Buckton Fields Primary School, in the parish of Boughton, was first built in 2021 and accepted its first cohort of students in September of that year.

However, it was later found, in 2023, that the building, constructed by Caledonian Modular on behalf of the Department of Education (DfE), was unsafe due to issues with its structure.

At the time of closure, it is understood that the school had around 170 students.

It has now been revealed by the DfE that the site will be demolished this spring, five years after it was built.

According to planning papers, the DfE said: “Demolition of the legacy building is likely to occur in early spring. The target is to have the new school open by September 2026. A full application for the replacement school is expected in early 2025."

While issues are ongoing, students were moved out of the unsafe building and into temporary portakabin accommodation on the site. The temporary school, located on a former playing field at Buckton Fields Primary, opened at the start of the 2024/25 academic year. It can accommodate up to 300 students and 45 staff members.

The DfE added that if this target is achieved, students will be moved from the temporary site into the new school by Summer 2026.

The DfE previously said confirmed it would launch an investigation into Caledonian Modular. This newspaper has contacted DfE for an update.