New-look building for safety issue school

An artist's impression of a new school building has been revealed, after the original structure was ordered to be demolished two years after its opening.

Buckton Fields Primary School in Boughton, near Northampton, opened in 2021 but was forced to close in August 2023 amid structural safety concerns.

Pupils were relocated six miles (9.6km) away at Pineham Barns school for six months, while temporary classrooms were built on another part of the site.

The Preston Hedges Trust, which runs the school, said it hoped to complete the new permanent building in time for September 2026, subject to planning permission.

Buckton Fields was one of three UK schools that were closed by the Department for Education (DfE).

They shared the same building contractor, Caledonian Modular, which fell into administration in March 2022.

Despite the challenges it had faced, the school was handed a "remarkable" positive Ofsted report earlier this year.

Principal Hannah Rogers said: "The new building will include a state-of-the-art innovation centre, a 4G sports pitch, a larger hall... and a host of sustainable features such as solar panels and a green roof."

Paul Watson, the chief executive of Preston Hedges Trust, said: "Buckton Fields has shown itself throughout this challenging situation to be a unique school set in a very special community.

"We are really looking forward to continuing our work with the local community to get their input in the current plans, and look forward to developing a school building Buckton Fields can be truly proud of."

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