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The new building, which is in Locking Parklands, will provide up to 900 young people with school places and a great opportunity to learn.
Councillor Steve Bridger, the Executive Member for Assets and Capital Delivery and Ian Garforth, the Principal at Winterstoke Hundred Academy, joined the project’s contractors, Kier, to put the first spade in the ground, ready for construction to begin.
Pupils from local schools, including some who will use the new school facilities in future, also filled a time capsule with mementos of childhood in 2022. The pupils then helped bury the capsule in the freshly cut ground, leaving their mark on the project and something for historians to dig up in years to come.
Max in Year 8 at Winterstoke Hundred Academy, said about the new school building: “I’m excited and I think the idea of it being an eco-school is really cool. I like that it’s going to have solar panels and be good for the environment.”
Councillor Steve Bridger said: “It’s great to see construction begin on the first of our Housing Infrastructure Fund projects."
“When completed, the new school building will increase the number of school places in North Somerset, so that we can continue to offer our young people an opportunity to learn in their local area."
“I’m also proud to say that the building has been designed to meet some of the top environmental standards, helping us work towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and thinking about the future of our region as well as our young people.”
Principal Ian Garforth said: “This is an immensely exciting time for us at Winterstoke Hundred, and particularly today, when our students can be here to put the first “spade in the ground”, and soon will be in a brand new, state-of-the-art building that will meet the needs of our community now and in the future.”
Jason Taylor, Regional Director for Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “North Somerset Council and Cabot Learning Foundation have a clear vision to provide sustainable educational buildings and we are delighted they have appointed us to deliver the expansion at Winterstoke Hundred Academy.
“We share their vision and passion and through our Building for a Sustainable World commitments at Kier, we will create a new net zero building with clear environmental benefits as well as offer employment and training opportunities to the local community as part of our social value commitments.”
Funded through Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, the expansion of Winterstoke Hundred Academy is currently expected to reach completion in 2023.
The new school facilities are expected to cater to years 7 to 11 and include on-site energy generation and a recycling centre to help reduce carbon emissions, as well as extra bike storage to provide pupils with a sustainable option of cycling to school.
Procured through the Southern Construction Framework, this expansion supports North Somerset Council’s commitment to make North Somerset carbon neutral by 2030 and the three-storey 80,000m2 building has been designed to achieve Net Zero Carbon in operation, a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating and have a 10% biodiversity net gain
You can read more about the scheme at n-somerset.gov.uk/WHAE