A 'great day' for new school

GROUND FINALLY BROKEN ON LONG-AWAITED BUILDING

- By DANIEL HODGSON

Outwood Academy Riverside principal Melissa Brant-Smith breaks ground at the new Middlehaven site

(OGAT)

A CEREMONY has taken place to highlight progress in building a new school in Middlehaven.

Outwood Academy Riverside has been longing for a permanent home for years and the dream is now becoming a reality, with the latest development celebrated by politicians and school pupils alike.

Plans for the school were first announced in 2018 and in June this year, it was reported that work was finally set to get under way.

Since opening in 2020, Outwood Riverside pupils have spent recent years being educated in temporary sites, such as portacabins, with some kids undergoing their whole secondary school education without stepping foot on a permanent site.

Prior to this year’s developments, issues with a building contractor and the pandemic meant the site missed its original 2023 opening and the completion date was pushed back to 2026. The new building is now expected to open its doors in spring 2027.