Work has started on a new £4.85m, two-storey early years and infant building at Withernsea Primary School in Holderness, East Riding of Yorkshire.

The project will involve the construction of 11 new classrooms, a hall, studio, kitchen with servery, offices and staff facilities, covering 1,635 square feet of gross internal floor area.

An official ground-breaking ceremony took place on land adjacent to the site to mark the start of construction. 

The scheme, which is being delivered by Henry Boot Construction, will retain the school’s original Victorian schoolhouse – a heritage asset – which will be retained for further educational use.

The project will also involve the demolition of the school’s existing South Building, with pupils remaining in the existing school facilities for the start of the 2020/21 academic year until the work is completed.

In addition to the new block, the school’s existing playgrounds will be retained and enhanced, with the site’s existing car park also extended. 

The project is the second scheme Henry Boot Construction has undertaken as part of the Department for Education’s £4.4billion Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).

Tony Shaw, Operations Director at Henry Boot Construction, said: “This project is hugely significant for Withernsea Primary School and its surrounding catchment areas and is one we’re extremely proud to be delivering.

“We have worked closely with the Department for Education during the planning process in order to create a new, sustainable, modern environment which will become a vital part of thousands of pupils’ education.”

Withernsea Primary School Headteacher, Angela Harper, said: “Construction starting of the new building here at Withernsea is a landmark moment in our recent history.

“It’s taken a good deal of planning and time to get to this point and we can’t wait for the new building to be completed. I look forward to welcoming the youngest school age children from Withernsea into brand new, purpose-built facilities which they deserve.”

Withernsea Academy Trust is part of the Hull Collaborative Academy Trust (HCAT), which was formed by four primary school heads who had a passion for School Improvement in 2013. The Academy Trust has now grown to 14 Primary Schools and one Secondary.

HCAT CEO Estelle Macdonald OBE said: “It is fantastic that the Children of Withernsea will be able to learn in a brand-new, high-quality educational environment and we look forward to the day we can welcome the first pupils in next year.”

For more information on Withernsea Primary School, visit https://withernseaprimary.co.uk/news/. 

For more information on Henry Boot Construction visit https://www.henrybootconstruction.co.uk and for more on the Department for Education’s Priority School Building Programme, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/priority-school-building-programme-psbp.