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Northumberland County Council is investing £43m into the Coquet Partnership of schools as it prepares to move from a three to a two-tier system from September 2024.
Kier has been selected for phase two of the programme, the design and build of a new school for James Calvert Spence College (JCSC) in Amble.
New facilities will include a floodlit 3G full-size football pitch, multi-use games areas and several football and rugby pitches.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Amble, Robertson Construction North East has already started work on phase one of the programme – transforming the former Amble Middle School site on South Avenue into two new schools. There is some demolition of outbuildings, with alterations and extensions to the main school buildings.
Amble First School will expand and relocate to become the 210-place primary school along with a 26-place nursery.
For neurodiverse pupils, Barndale House School will open a new 50-place satellite site – Barndale-by-the-Sea.
Neil Rodgers, headteacher, James Calvert Spence College, said: “We are excited at the new and enhanced opportunities that this investment in our school will bring to our pupils and the community as a whole.
“We’ve been closely involved with the design and planning of the school campus for a significant period of time and know that it will provide what our young people need most – a modern building that is fit for purpose, with a hugely improved sixth form provision and uprated sports facilities.
“These top-class facilities will be used by our pupils during the school day, and available for community use during evenings and weekends bringing a much needed educational, social and sporting hub to the town.”
The final outcomes of the tender process for JCSC will be reported to the council’s cabinet later in the year.
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