Building works on track at our new Gateford school

Construction is well underway at the new Whipman Woods Flying High Academy at Gateford, Worksop.

The school, which will be completed over two phases, will initially see a 210-place primary school with a 26-place nursery, associated facilities and playing fields, completed in mid-August 2024.

Phase two, which will be delivered under a separate project when required and will increase the school to a 315-place primary school.

Councillor Sam Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, said he was delighted with the progress of the new state of the art school and said is very much welcomed by local families in the area.

Cllr Smith said: “This is a much need school for the Gateford area with the recent increase in housing numbers and is a clear example of mine and the County Council’s commitment to prioritising the delivery of new schools across the county where they’re needed most.

“Over the last 3 years, we’ve invested tens of millions of pounds in our children’s education, with the expansion of existing and building of new schools across our county, and in recent weeks I’ve announced the Council’s plans for investing £40 million into our Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) provision with the aim of creating almost 500 new places before 2027.
“This is in addition to the £16 million of funding the Council has recently been allocated by Government for the creation of additional special and alternative provision places.”

Cllr Smith was joined on a tour of the school by Cllrs Tracey Taylor, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, and Cllr Keith Girling, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Asset Management. The councillors planted a ceremonial tree in the school grounds, which pupils will be able to admire for generations to come.

Sara Williams, Head of Pre-Construction at Arc Partnership, said: “It is fantastic to see the progress that has been made at Whipman Woods Flying High Academy already.

“Arc Partnership is focussed on delivering real-value, and through our close-working relationship with Nottinghamshire County Council and Morgan Sindall, we remain on track to deliver a high-quality, sustainable school that will benefit the local community of Gateford for many years to come.

Richard Fielding, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “The local community in Worksop is due to see a significant demand for school places as a result of the new housing developments in the area.
“We are pleased to support this need for increased education infrastructure in the development of Gateford Park Primary School, through our continued relationship with Nottinghamshire County Council and Arc Partnership. This collaboration has seen us jointly deliver a number of new and improved school facilities in the county in the past year, such as Rosecliffe Spencer Academy, Millside Spencer Academy, and Bingham Primary School.”

Deputy CEO of The Flying High Partnership, Paul Goodman, added:
“We are delighted with the progress and care being taken with the design and build of this brand new school. Having worked closely with the Nottinghamshire County Council and the developers we have no doubt that this will be a school that meets the needs of all children and provide an environment where all children can learn and grow.

“Flying High Partnership is passionate about providing children with the best that education has to offer. We are very excited to welcome the first cohort of children in September 2024, and to create a school the whole community can be proud of. ”