Priority School Building Programme progresses in north east

Three schools getting underway as part of £2.4Bn Phase I.

The Government’s flagship school building programme is making progress, with work set to start on further projects.

Located in the north east, three schools have enjoyed turf cutting ceremonies as replacement buildings will be provided.

The schools are Prudhoe High School and Whitehouse Primary School, both of which are in Newcastle, and St Joseph RCVA Primary School in Durham.

The imminent start of work at these locations has been described as a “key milestone” for the Government’s Priority School Building Programme in the area.

Established in 2011, the Priority School Building Programme will address the needs of the schools in most need of replacement throughout the country.

Initially, Phase I of this programme saw 261 schools earmarked for improvement, though this has since been revised to 260.

Already, more than 100 of these schools are either already completed or under construction and a further phase was announced earlier this year which will see an additional 277 schools benefit from construction.

Phase I is worth £2.4Bn and will see Prudhoe High School benefit from a £14.6M development that will result in a two-storey, brand new building for 883 pupils that will be completed in 2017.

The existing school will make way and become new playing fields.

Similarly, Whitehouse Primary School will comprise of two storeys and its existing structure will be demolished and replaced with fields.

At £3.1M, this project will see a school constructed that is big enough for 2010 pupils and will be ready for the new school year of 2016/17.

Based in Coundon, Durham, St Joseph RCVA Primary School will be a single-storey building for 155 school children.

Scheduled to be completed next summer, this will cost £2.1M.

These are just three schools out of 31 in the north east that will benefit from the Priority School Building Programme and Schools Minister, Lord Nash, explained the importance of the programme.

He said: “As part of our long-term economic plan, we are investing in school buildings across the country so we can transform the learning environment for tens of thousands of pupils and their teachers while delivering value for money for the taxpayer.

“The start of construction work at Prudhoe High School, Whitehouse Primary School and St Joseph RCVA Primary School marks a key milestone for the Priority School Building Programme in Durham and Newcastle.

“These new school buildings will provide modern, fit for purpose facilities for pupils and staff for many years to come.”

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