Fron left, Elliot Ward, chair of governors at Dame Allan's, Andrew Edge, head of the nursery and junior school, and Paul Redman of Esh Construction show pupils Ben Sumner and Ria Barber school plans

THE governors at Dame Allan’s Schools in Newcastle have appointed the main contractor for their new nursery and junior school at Hunter’s Moor.

Durham-based Esh Construction will begin work on the six-acre site in Fenham next week, with the development due to be opened in September next year.

The development, which has been designed by Gateshead-based Ian Belsham Associates, will provide the schools’ nursery children with their own classrooms and separate entrance, while the classrooms on the ground floor open out into shared spaces, so the children can work and play together.

The classrooms for the older children will be on the upper floor and will include a library.

The project also includes three separate play areas as well as dedicated coaching areas for netball, rugby, cricket and athletics, and an all-weather games area.

Dame Allan’s principal Dr John Hind said: “This new building will bring all our nursery and junior school boys and girls together on one site and will enable us to develop further our family ethos within our distinctive diamond structure.

“It will also mean that the separate boys’ and girls’ schools will be able to make better use of our site in Fenham, along side the sixth form in its own dedicated Queen’s Building.”

Steve Wilkie, divisional director of Esh Construction, which is part of the Esh Group, said: “At Esh Construction we have significant experience in schools construction and we also do a great deal of work with young people helping them to understand opportunities in the world of work. We’re looking forward to welcoming Dame Allans’ pupils and staff to the project and giving them the opportunity to see the scheme unfold and gain an understanding of our work.”