This is a landmark achievement which represents one of the most significant investments for contracts awarded in the education sector in England in 2021. 

The award of this contract is the culmination of the hard work of the school working with professional advisors and other partners to relocate Kenilworth School & Sixth Form from its two sites on Leyes Lane and Rouncil Lane to Southcrest Farm.

The new site was acquired in December last year and, since then, Morgan Sindall have undertaken pre-construction works to prepare the site for the new school.  Now with the main contract confirmed they will push ahead with the main building works, due to commence later in May 2021 and be completed in June 2023.  The new school will open to new and existing pupils in September 2023.

Kenilworth School & Sixth Form has been planning this project since 2014, with the support of the Executive Headteacher, Governors and Trustees.  The project has been overseen by a Trustees’ Site Relocation Committee, the Executive Head and a Project Manager appointed by the school.  Staff and students have been involved along the journey in a series of consultations since the project’s inception.  The school will also be launching a major fundraising project to provide enhanced facilities at the site to benefit the students and community in Kenilworth.

Hayden Abbott, Executive Head of Kenilworth School & Sixth Form and Multi Academy Trust commented:

“It is an exciting time ahead for the future of young people and the community of Kenilworth.  This represents years of hard work and successful partnership working and I would like to pay tribute to the contribution of many external partners, especially Warwick District Council, who have supported us to achieve our vision.  The new school will provide modern educational facilities to accommodate the changing needs of the school community over the coming decades.  Younger students in our local feeder schools can look forward to enhanced opportunities in the new build.  Students from our partner secondary school within KMAT, The Westwood Academy, will also benefit from this new facility by being able to access post-16 courses at the new site”.

Members of the Site Relocation Committee, KMAT Trustees Shirley Whiting and Richard Hales commented:

“This is a pivotal moment for the project as the many years of hard work come to fruition. Seeing the school rise out of the ground should be a proud moment for the whole town. The school has worked closely with Morgan Sindall and advisers, Arup, to secure a flexible and efficient design for the school that will provide not only amazing new facilities for the students but also for the wider Kenilworth community.”

Richard Frape, Project Director, Morgan Sindall Group commented:

“We are excited to be working with Kenilworth School to deliver this project and recognise the importance to the town of this major investment. Our experience in delivering high quality infrastructure and educational projects will ensure a long lasting legacy for the community of Kenilworth.”

The Chair of KMAT Trustees, Matthew Clements-Wheeler commented:

“KMAT is rightly proud to be delivering this important educational facility for the current and future students and families of Kenilworth – a truly community centred project.”

Councillor Andrew Day, Leader Warwick District Council comments:

“This contract award secures the delivery of new secondary school places for Kenilworth as the town expands over the next few years. Through Warwick District Council’s acquisition of the old school sites and provision of significant forward funding it also enables the Council to deliver much needed family housing in the town, confident in the knowledge that school places will be available within the town for those families."