Work begins on new £4 million primary school

The new development is being built in Redcar Road and is due to open for the next school year in September 2021.

The scheme includes nursery provision, a multi-use games area and a sports pitch. Willow Fields will also have the potential to expand from the 140 places offered at the existing premises, to 315 places.

The current school in Winslow Close would have needed a major repair scheme as the building was outdated. It also had limited capacity with an admission number of only 20 children in each year.

Willow Fields’ headteacher Lindsay Robertson said: “I am familiar with the plans and the layout for our new school and it's great news to now see the work starting.

"Our new Willow Fields is going to be a fabulous asset that everyone in the community can be proud of.”

Cllr Paul Stewart, the council's deputy leader, is also chair of the governors at Willow Fields.

He said: “On behalf of everyone at our school, we are all looking forward to state-of-the-art facilities on a new site. This is a prestigious and very welcome development.”

Sunderland City Council's cabinet member for children, learning and skills, Cllr Louise Farthing said: “All the works here for Willow Fields, and for all our city's schools, are about helping to ensure that we have the very best for all our young people.

“It's a key priority for this City Council that there are always sufficient, suitable, high quality places for all our pupils and students."

The new school was designed by the Sunderland City Council’s capital projects team. The contract was awarded to Bowburn-based building firm Esh Construction.

Gary Dobson, divisional director at Esh Construction, said: “We are delighted to build on our successful partnership with Sunderland City Council to deliver the new Willow Fields school.

"We have delivered over £60m of work in the education sector in the past few years alone, this is a great opportunity to expand our portfolio and provide a first-class education facility in Sunderland.”

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