Corby Technical School’s new extension was officially opened in a ceremony on Tuesday the 5th of December. The £7m project includes the expansion of the car park and alteration of existing classrooms, enabling the school to double its student intake

GSSArchitecture were commissioned by the Brooke Weston Trust at Architects and Quantity Surveyors to provide the new build accommodation including 20 new classrooms, a drama studio, lecture theatre, media studies and music department, Sixth Form space and offices together with a range of flexible learning spaces. Photo-voltaic panels on the roof, energy efficient lighting and heating systems have been installed to make the building as cost-efficient as possible.

A phased hand over allowed students to access completed areas of the site from the start of the academic year and the whole space has been fully occupied since October.

The school, which is oversubscribed, was earmarked for expansion by Northamptonshire County Council, who funded the scheme. The project was procured through the empa framework, which is managed by Scape Group.

More than 40 delegates attended the official opening, including senior Brooke Weston Trust staff and Principals who toured the building to see the classrooms in action. Corby’s Mayor, Cllr Matt Keane cut the ribbon, watched by Angela Reynolds, CTS’s Principal, the CEO of the Brooke Weston Trust Dr Andrew Campbell and Cllr Matthew Golby from Northants County Council.

CTS’s Principal Angela Reynolds said: ‘This fantastic extension blends seamlessly with our existing building and it has enabled us to expand our numbers of students plus our range of courses, as well as housing a dedicated space for our new Sixth Form. On behalf of the staff and students, I would like to thank all those involved in delivering such bright, modern and well equipped accommodation without disrupting the day to day running of the school.’

Anna McTaggart, Partner at GSSArchitecture said: ‘Our team worked closely with the Trust to design the new extension and internal remodelling works to ensure that they suited the needs of the staff and students. GSSArchitecture has considerable experience designing buildings for education and used its previous experience of working with the Trust to ensure that the project was delivered within a very tight timescale and to a high standard. It is truly rewarding to see how the whole team has worked together to deliver the project that will provide a high quality education environment for the local community in Corby.’

Northamptonshire County Council deputy leader and cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Matthew Golby said: ‘I am delighted that the county council has been able to fund this extension to Corby Technical School, which will provide much-needed additional school places in one of the fastest growing towns in the country. By doubling the number of places available in each year group, we are also able to offer more local families greater choice when applying for a school place in Corby.’

Dr Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive of the Brooke Weston Trust said: ‘This expansion would not have been possible without the funding and support of Northamptonshire County Council who recognised the need for extra school places in Corby. I would like to thank them, along with Wates Construction, who project managed the scheme, as well as the teams from GSSArchitecture, Pick Everard and Scape Procure. Everyone involved worked tirelessly on this extension that will enhance the education and life chances of Corby students now, and for generations to come.’