Groundbreaking Ceremony Held At Gilbert Ward Academy

On Friday 17^th March  we were joined by representatives from Northumberland County Council and the building contractors Bowmer + Kirkland (B+K) at the old Princess Louise County First School in Blyth to perform a groundbreaking ceremony where our new special school Gilbert Ward Academy is being built. 

Our newly appointed Headteacher, Barry Reed was also in attendance.  Barry is currently Deputy Headteacher at an all-through special school and will take up his new role as Headteacher Designate in May.

Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children’s Services, said: “I am delighted to see this project moving forward and welcome Barry to his new role as Headteacher. Gilbert Ward Academy is going to be a fantastic addition to Northumberland, offering pupils the opportunity to learn, thrive and grow in an environment that’s tailored to meet their needs.”

Barry Reed, Headteacher Designate, said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Headteacher Designate of Gilbert Ward Academy, and I am looking forward to opening the doors to our first pupils in September."

The state-of-the-art school will provide education for up to 80 students aged 11-16 with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) needs. It is due to welcome its first pupils on site from January 2024 and is part of Northumberland County Council’s wider strategy to increase special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) support across the county.  

Chris Richardson, CEO of Prosper Learning Trust, said: “It’s very exciting to see work now getting underway and plans starting to take shape. Everybody at the Trust works very hard to ensure that we are providing the highest quality education for all our pupils. As our vision states ‘we help vulnerable young people succeed against the odds, understanding that learning is the key to that success’. As such we very much look forward to working with young people in Northumberland and to providing the best possible educational experience for them, in a school where they can thrive and be happy.”

Construction firm, Bowmer + Kirkland (B+K), has been appointed as main contractors. B+K Project Manager, Ben Richardson, said: “We have been a framework contractor for the DfE since 2013 and have built 58 schools for them during that time. We are delighted to be building a further school in Blyth which will ensure that young people are given the best possible start in life by learning in modern, state of the art facilities.”