Work starts on multi-million pound Melton Mowbray school expansion

We reported back in September that Leicestershire County Council had approved the major scheme at Long Field Spencer Academy with everything expected to be complete by June 2027.

Construction work has now begun on the first phase which will see a multi-million pound building going up to house 10 new classroom and an intervention area, a 260-seat theatre, drama studio, a sky-lit arts department, plus new spaces for music and textiles learning.

This is all scheduled to be finished in February 2027 before the focus turns to refurbishment of the older building, including a new prep room, three new science labs, a makeover of the canteen, new food room and a brand new design and technology workshop.

School principal Chris Haggett told the Melton Times: “Work has begun on our new multi-million pound building.

“We are so proud of our school but did not want to look at expansion until we felt the expansion wouldn’t change the way we work with our students, staff and parents.

“The school will gain some lovely new teaching spaces and we are very excited.”

The expansion of Long Field will address some local concerns about the lack of secondary school places with thousands of new homes being built in the town.

Long Field, which is based in Ambleside Way, is one of two secondary schools for the town and surrounding villages, with John Ferneley College, on Scalford Road, being the other one.

There is currently space for 900 students aged 11 to 16 at Long Field but planning document showed that it is over-subscribed with 930 on the register.

The approved plans for the new two-storey teaching block, to be built on one of its playing fields, will increase capacity in the school by 300 pupils to 1,200. The increase in students will be done in phases.

Additional parking spaces are also to be created through the works, increasing provision from 85 to 117.

New sports pitches will replace the grass area that will be lost to the new building.