Sandy Secondary School transformation granted planning permission

A transformation project that will offer more facilities for pupils at Sandy Secondary School has been granted planning permission as part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s New School Places Programme.

The school, which has seen pupil numbers increase in five years from 535 to just over 1,000, will expand with a new teaching block, a new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) block and a new all-weather sports pitch built ahead of a refurbishment of the existing school building.

Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive Member for Families, Education and Children, Cllr Sue Clark, said: “Our New School Places scheme is about creating additional places in areas of demand like Sandy, so that children and young people can go to a good local school on their doorstep. This transformation project is also aimed at helping improve the education of students in the area by offering more facilities for them, whilst increasing specialist learning spaces to meet the changing demands of the curriculum.”

The new buildings will allow Sandy Secondary to provide space for a total of 1,440 pupils. Darren Fellowes, Associate Director at Concertus Design & Property Consultants Ltd, said: “We are thrilled to be working for Central Bedfordshire Council to expand Sandy Secondary School. Alongside expanding the school, the scheme also includes significant internal refurbishment and modernisation to the existing school facilities. We look forward to starting on site with Ashe Construction in the new year and are pleased to be working with the council across their whole educational portfolio, contributing to their New School Places programme.”