Funding for new North Whiteley secondary school given green light

Councillor Steve Forster, Hampshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, has today agreed to allocate £46.7 million to the build of the new school, subject to planning consent. 

The site for the school was secured as part of wider approvals for the development of North Whiteley and will support the delivery of around 3,500 new homes in the area. The new school, anticipated to open in 2027, is intended to meet the predicted demand for secondary school places across Whiteley, with scope to expand to a 1,200-place school if needed, in the future.

Councillor Forster commented: “We are committed to ensuring that as our communities across Hampshire continue to grow, sufficient school places remain available to meet both existing and future demand. This is why plans have been in the pipeline for some time for a new secondary school in North Whiteley, which along with the wider Whiteley area has undergone significant development in recent years. 

“It is exciting to see these plans continue to be progressed, and I am delighted today to approve the funding for this project which subject to planning consent, will form a major new amenity serving Whiteley’s children and families.”

Plans for the new school include a three-storey main building providing classrooms, drama studio, and assembly and dining halls, with a separate two-storey sports block featuring a four-court sports hall and multi-use activity studio. The main building will also include a Resourced Provision (RP) for 15 children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This is a specialist environment within a mainstream school for children with SEND.

Outside, the site will provide two all-weather sports pitches, grass playing fields and a multi-use games area. The school’s sports facilities and assembly hall will be available for community use outside school hours. 

The site will include a range of measures to reduce carbon emissions and ensure resilience to climate change, as well as improvements to the local footpath and cycle network to encourage families and staff to walk and cycle to school.

Building work is anticipated to begin on site this summer, subject to a planning decision in spring. 

A separate process is currently underway to determine who will run and occupy the school, with a proposal to relocate The Henry Cort Community College in Fareham to the new site in North Whiteley when it opens in 2027. Feedback from a recent formal consultation on this proposal continues to be carefully considered, with a final decision on this expected in spring this year.

Full details of the plans for the new school building are available on the County Council’s website.