Carleton High School, part of Pontefract Academies Trust, has today, Thursday 22nd December revealed the plans for the replacement of its school’s multiple teaching blocks with an entirely new 3-story building, securing the future of the school and high educational standards for all of its pupils for decades to come.
Under the government’s flagship School Rebuilding Programme, all costs are being covered for the work to create the new building, which is expected to meet all of the latest environmental and education standards.
Work is expected to begin August 2023 and to complete over a period of 12 – 18 months.
Over the course of the work, pupils will be able to attend school as normal in the current buildings as the project team are expecting no disruptions to learning.
Mrs Shaheen Shariff, Headteacher at Carleton High School said: “This is such an exciting time for Carleton High School. We are thrilled to have been selected to receive a brand-new building. Our current students will get to experience a first-class education in a state-of-the-art building but it will also make a difference to the lives of thousands of our students in the coming years.
The new school will also make a huge difference to our local community and we will endeavour to consult any future plans with our staff, parents, carers and the wider community. This funding will help reduce our carbon footprint considerably, a truly practical way to inspire our young people and show how we can build sustainably for a better and brighter future.”
Julian Appleyard OBE, CEO of Pontefract Academies Trust, said: “We are committed to raising standards across our educational estate and ensuring that the young people in Pontefract have access to quality learning environments that are well-equipped to meet their needs. We are delighted to have been chosen for the DfE’s latest School Rebuilding Programme. It’s wonderful news for the staff, pupils and the wider community. We will now be working closely with the DfE and the programme to finalise plans to bolster and transform the school site.”
Across the School Rebuilding Programme, the rebuilds and refurbishments will create modern education environments, providing new facilities from classrooms and science labs, to sports halls and dining rooms.
The new school buildings will also be net-zero carbon in operation, helping meet the government’s net-zero target.
The programme is due to deliver 500 rebuilding projects over the next decade, which will benefit tens of thousands of pupils over their lifetime.
The schools included in this round include primary, secondary and special and alternative provision schools, levelling up opportunities across the entire country.
Schools Minister Baroness Barran said: “Our School Rebuilding Programme is already making great strides in creating greener school sites, fit for the future of education, that local communities can be proud of.All new buildings in the programme have to be net-zero in operation and we’re taking action to understand the risks and adapt our school estate to cope with climate change and heat and flood risks. I thank Carleton High School and all of its pupils, parents and staff for their support as the rebuild takes place.”