Work starts on a brand new secondary school in Bristol

Work is now underway on a brand new £25 million secondary school in north Bristol.

A ceremonial groundbreaking event was held yesterday (12 November) to mark the start of construction on the new school building as Bristol City Council works hard to meet the growing demand for school places.

Students, staff and governors from Trinity Academy were joined by guests including the Lord-Lieutenant of Bristol, Peaches Golding OBE, the Canon Chancellor and Vice Dean Michael Roden and Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education at Bristol City Council, as well as representatives of Cathedral Schools Trust to celebrate the official start of the building work.

The school successfully opened in temporary accommodation in September 2019 and was oversubscribed in its first year. Once the building works are completed, the school will be permanently located alongside Stoke Park Primary School on Romney Avenue in Lockleaze.

Trinity Academy is a specialist school for music and the performing arts and the aim is for the new school building to include a first class concert hall, music practice rooms and performance spaces that can be used extensively by arts organisations, orchestras and ensembles in the region.

The new school helps to meet the increased demand for secondary school places in Bristol and will grow year- on- year with an eventual capacity of 1,220 students – 180 students per year group as well as a sixth form provision.

The school’s first cohort of students aged 11 and 12 took part in the ‘spade in the ground’ event to commence the construction of their new school, which is scheduled for completion in time for the new school year in September 2021.

Eiron Bailey, Trinity Academy Headteacher said:

“It is a great moment for us as a school, but also for the wider community, to start work on this exciting building which will be used by students and families. These outstanding facilities match our outstanding curriculum and co-curricular offer which will ensure that our students achieve their absolute best.”

Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education at Bristol City Council, said:

“Demand for school places in Bristol is predicted to vastly increase, so we’re supporting the opening of new schools and expanding existing ones through our Learning City partnership. Trinity Academy is a good example of this partnership work in practice. Lockleaze is an area of growth and regeneration with new homes and workspace. By working collectively with partners, we have been able to invest in new education facilities in the area to help ease the transition for local children from primary to secondary school.”

Merlyn Ipinson-Fleming, Chair of Trinity Academy said:

“ This is an exciting time for us as a school community and we look forward to what a great opportunity this new building will be not just for us, but for the community here in Lockleaze and Bristol as a whole.”

Neil Blundell, Executive Principal of CST said:

“We are so proud of our new staff, students and parents who have made such a fantastic start to a new secondary school for Bristol.”

Stephen Parsons, Chair of CST said:

“CST is delighted to be opening a new secondary school in north Bristol. Drawing on the strengths of our other schools we hope to offer all students an enriched learning and life experience.”

For more information, please see: www.trinityacademybristol.org

For all enquiries please contact: enquiries@trinityacademybristol.org