Great Park Academy Permanent Site Newsletter - March 2024
Welcome to our spring information update and newsletter.
Since Great Park Academy’s new school Reserved Matters Planning Application was approved and the school lease completed with Newcastle City Council in January, there has been a lot of activity on our new site. This has been part of an early works contract with Galliford Try and has included: erecting the site hoarding and fencing; installing the contactor’s accommodation; soil stabilisation and drainage works; formation of a new car park and access road and commencing work on the foundations.
We’re delighted to confirm that this week, the DfE awarded the permanent construction contract to Galliford Try, with the work scheduled to be completed by summer 2025, ready to welcome students in September 2025. The Chair of Trustees, George Snaith, celebrated this milestone at a ground-breaking ceremony on Monday, 25th March, alongside Miss Billingsley, Acting Principal – you can see some photos of this below.
Over the summer term, we will see some exciting progress. Galliford Try will be pouring the foundations for the school building and erecting the steel frame. Once this is done, they can install the pre-cast concrete staircases and lift shaft, as well as metal decking on the upper floors and roof, which can then be concreted. After this, the sports hall roof will be added.
While they are working on the building we will have some visits from Galliford Try. The first of these took place in January when a team visited us for an assembly. They introduced themselves, explained a little about the new school and safety on the building site. They also talked a little about what their jobs involve and the career opportunities which exist in large construction companies. The team were very impressed with the interest shown by the pupils and with the questions they asked.
During the Easter holidays further classrooms, including the Science and DT room, will be brought onto our temporary site. They will then be set up during the six week break ready for the new students joining us in September.
We hope you have a good Easter break and look forward to sharing more about the progress of our new school building towards the end of next term.
Yours sincerely,
Katherine Billingsley, Acting Principal
Hugh Robinson, CEO