Ready for lift off! Hampshire’s three new primary schools count down to launch

The new primaries – Hounsome Fields in Basingstoke, Stanhope in Aldershot, and Newlands, west of Waterlooville – are located in areas experiencing significant housing development and population growth. Their openings, initially to Year R pupils, signal the successful completion of the first phase of Hampshire County Council’s ambitious three-year £502 million investment in school buildings, which aims to deliver 10 new schools and 3,175 additional school places by September 2028.

Of that total investment, £390 million is allocated to new schools and expansions, contributing a total of 19,260 new school places since 2014. The programme also includes three new special schools, three school expansions, and 11 projects to enhance provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), adding 114 new places. The new schools opening this September will all include eight-place SEND units from 2026.

Further projects funded by the capital programme will focus on improving accessibility, modernising existing school buildings, and upgrading facilities for children’s social care and early years education.

Councillor Steve Forster, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “These three openings represent a major milestone in our commitment to ensuring every child in Hampshire has access to high-quality education close to home.

“Our in-house property team has designed these schools with energy efficiency and modern construction techniques in mind, always prioritising the learning experience of pupils. It’s been inspiring to visit the sites and see them evolve into vibrant, thoughtfully created spaces that will support these growing communities for generations.
“We’ve worked in close partnership with the academy trusts that will operate the schools – Engage Enrich Excel Academies and the University of Chichester Academy Trust – and with construction partners Morgan Sindall and Willmott Dixon to ensure everything is ready for the new term.”

The new schools have been designed to high environmental and energy efficiency standards. In addition, Hounsome Fields meets Passivhaus standards, to keep classrooms warm in winter and cool in the summer.

Despite ongoing financial pressures, Hampshire County Council remains firmly committed to investing in the county’s educational infrastructure. Wherever possible, funding for approved projects is sourced externally, including via developer contributions and central Government support. The County Council’s approach to providing school places, including where increases and reductions are needed, is set out in the School Places Plan 2025 to 2029.