Four Norfolk schools set for major rebuilds as part of £1bn project

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced the latest tranche of schools to be rebuilt as part of its £1bn school rebuilding programme.

It has confirmed 61 more schools for the scheme, which sees the number of Norfolk sites earmarked triple from two to six.

The four new schools are:

• The Hewett Academy, Norwich
• Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary-Aided Primary School, Swaffham
• Sidestrand Hall School, Cromer
• Weasenham Church of England Primary Academy, near King's Lynn.

The quartet follow the announcement last July that Firside Junior School in Hellesdon and Smithdon High School in Hunstanton were successful in their bids for the government cash.

Antony Little, principal at Hewett Academy, said: "This is an extremely exciting time for Hewett Academy, for both our current students and those who will join us in the future.

"It has been widely known that our school has needed capital investment from the government for a long while and we are delighted to be listed."

Helen Bates, assistant director of Diocesan Schools, which took over Sacred Heart in 2019, said: "We have appointed a new head and assistant head, and made a significant capital investment of over £1m in the school and its buildings.

"But we also recognised that the condition of Sacred Heart's buildings were among the worst within the Diocese of East Anglia's family of schools and submitted a bid to the DfE.

"We are thrilled that the DfE has also recognised this level of need and we look forward to working with them in identifying the scope of the building work to be undertaken over the next few years at Sacred Heart."

Howard Nelson, chief executive of the Diocese of Norwich Education Services Company, which runs Weasenham Primary, said: "This is fantastic news for our pupils, the staff and the local community.

"To have a modern fit-for-purpose building that will support their learning in the 21st century is fantastic."

Norfolk County Councillor Daniel Elmer. Picture: Norfolk County Coucil (Image: Archant)

Daniel Elmer, deputy cabinet member for children services at Norfolk County Council said it was "great news" that special school Sidestrand had been included.

He said: "We applied to the programme after a routine school building survey found that some buildings on the site, including a temporary classroom block, required considerable investment to improve their condition.

“We will now work closely with the DfE as they carry out further work to decide exactly what will be in scope for this project and when it will be delivered.”