New secondary school starts on site

New secondary school starts on site

The new Hampton Gardens secondary school provides 1500 pupil places in Peterborough’s new Hampton Gardens development. The new school is a joint project between the city council and Cambridgeshire County Council and is set to open in September 2017. Hampton Academies Trust, which runs the nearby Hampton College, will run the new school.

In response to the unique context and sponsor’s pedagogy the design is conceived as two curriculum wings, one housing a STEM centre and the other accommodating humanities, embracing a sheltered, south facing recreation space. The main entrance is crowned by the Learning Resource Centre and is approached via a wide pedestrian boulevard punctuated by meeting and seating areas overlooking the 3G all-weather sports pitch. The site includes an external dining terrace, a tiered amphitheatre providing shelter and performance space and multi-use games areas. The school also has provision for 300 sixth form students.

Councillor John Holdich, leader of the city council and cabinet member for education, skills and university said: “The plans for Hampton Gardens give a wonderful vision of a first class building that will provide the very best education facilities for secondary aged students across the Hampton development and Yaxley areas.”

Frank Shaw Associates worked with Carillion Construction Services to become the preferred team following a rigorous competitive selection process. Hampton Gardens secondary school is the first in a framework to build five new schools in Peterborough. The second school in the framework, an extension to expand the capacity of St. Michael’s Church School, received Planning consent in December 2015 and will commence on site in February.

These schools continue our long association with Peterborough, having twelve projects either completed or under way in the last five years.