Northumberland County Council’s cabinet has officially approved the awarding of contracts for school construction projects in Amble, England, UK. 

The approval confirms extensions to feeder schools and the refurbishment of the South Avenue site, facilitating the relocation of Amble First School and the creation of a new special school. 

The transformation of the former Amble Middle School site on South Avenue into two new educational facilities is already in progress.  

Amble First School is set to expand, moving to a new location that will accommodate 210 primary students and a 26-place nursery.  

Additionally, Barndale House School will establish a new 50-place satellite site, Barndale-by-the-Sea, catering to pupils with various neurodiverse needs. 

Robertson Construction North East has commenced construction work at the site, which includes the demolition of the caretaker's cottage and existing outbuildings, as well as external alterations and extensions to the current buildings.  

Concurrently, planning applications are in the process of transitioning Amble Links, Red Row, Grange View, and Broomhill First Schools into primary schools by September this year. 

Meanwhile, the council has named Kier as its preferred contractor for the design and construction of a new facility for James Calvert Spence College (JCSC) in Amble.  

This project is part of a nearly £43m ($53.1m) investment in the Coquet Partnership of schools, which is transitioning from a three-tier to a two-tier system from September 2024. 

This marks the most recent milestone in a master plan aimed at revolutionising education in Amble and the surrounding region for future generations. 

The new school buildings for JCSC, designed by Ryder Architecture, will incorporate technologies to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in operation.  

JCSC head teacher Neil Rodgers said: “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.”