CONSTRUCTION of the £32.5 million secondary school in Arborfield will not be completed when the school opens in 2016.


The 180 Year 7 students at the new school will be taught in the old garrison buildings including longstanding classrooms, a lecture theatre and large library space with PE classes being taken on nearby pitches and the former garrison gym.


Construction of the main site, which should have been handled in two phases will now be carried out all at once with work expected to be completed in May or June 2017.


Handover of the site to the building contractors was delayed after increased levels of contamination were found on the former garrison.


Lloyd Watkins, chair of the Parent Reference Group (PRG), said: "Hearing of delays during site clearance obviously caused considerable concern within the community, particularly in families with Year 6 children, but I am pleased to say that at a face-to-face meeting with Bohunt and the borough council our concerns have been addressed. 


"We are clear that this early decision to fit-out and use the excellent legacy buildings now represents the best way to open a new secondary school next September.


"Critically Bohunt described to us how they have designed and timetabled a complete 180 person Year 7 schedule. We heard from the borough council that they plan to deliver the facilities necessary to achieve this syllabus.


"Even more telling was Bohunt’s declaration that they view this early decision to use the legacy buildings as substantially de-risking the whole programme.


"The PRG is fortunate to have had the opportunity in the past to visit these legacy buildings and have long thought that they would make a wonderful school facility."


The borough council hopes to make the classrooms and facilities open to the public once the school is finished with them.


Cllr Charlotte Haitham-Taylor, executive member for children’s services on Wokingham Borough Council, said: "It has been a busy summer working with Bohunt and our contractors to see how best we can incorporate these design improvements, which will provide a high quality education offer at the new school, into the construction timetable.


"The delay in the site handover has meant we’ve had a chance to revise the phasing of the construction programme and address some parental concerns around children being taught in phase 1 of the new school whilst construction work is still underway on phase 2.


"By using the legacy buildings, which was an excellent training facility for the military, we can provide a high-quality education environment for the students, and minimise disruption to their learning in the first year of the new school.


"The legacy buildings have been given the seal of approval by Bohunt and the Parent Reference Group – who tell us they are both excited about the school’s future. 


"It means we can open, as we’ve always planned in September 2016, but in fit-for-purpose legacy buildings for the first academic year."