Game on as £6.5m Northumberland school project completes

Robertson led the design and build of the school over an 18-month construction programme, which saw a single-storey extension built on part of the school’s underused hockey pitch. The modern, four-court sports hall has been designed to host a wide variety of activities for year-round use. 

The school’s first ever dedicated indoor sports complex will now support its PE curriculum, extracurricular clubs and competitions. It is also available for the community to book outside of school hours.

The steel-frame building incorporates modern mechanical and electrical systems, including underfloor heating and rooftop photovoltaic panels which helped it achieve an EPC A rating. Sustainability and efficiency were also key priorities during construction, with offsite manufacturing and on-site material reuse helping to reduce waste, seeing 99.4% of waste diverted from landfill.

With the project now complete, it is expected that the existing PE spaces will be repurposed into additional classrooms to help accommodate the growing population of 2,000 students across Years 9–13 and Sixth Form.

Neil Kennedy, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction North East, said: “This project has delivered a high-quality indoor sports facility that meets the school’s immediate needs, and provides flexibility for future use. Delivered through an efficient design and build approach, it supports PE, wider school activity and community use, while creating long-term value for pupils, staff and the local area. We value our long-standing relationship with Northumberland County Council and remain focused on supporting continued investment across its education estate.”

Headteacher Clare Savage said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for our school. Sport has always been a strength of King Edward VI School, and the opening of our first ever Sports Hall provides the facilities our students deserve. We are incredibly proud to see this vision become a reality after many years of ambition and 18 months of hard work, and we thank Northumberland County Council and our Foundation Governors for their continued support.” 

Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson, Cabinet member for Children and Young People at Northumberland County Council, said: "This has been a very exciting project for Morpeth and something that has been needed for a long time.  

"The new sports hall will be another great asset to both the school and the wider community in the area. 

“We’re delighted with the finished project and it marks the latest milestone to transform education and learning facilities for young people now and for generations to come in Northumberland - with over £100m invested in capital schemes.”

Head of Physical Education at The King Edward VI School Rachel Shaw added: “The new Sports Hall will transform opportunities for our students. It allows us to deliver a broader and more inclusive PE curriculum, support performance sport, and host events regardless of the weather. We are thrilled to finally have an indoor space that matches the talent and enthusiasm of our young people.” 

The project has been made possible through a mix of County Council, Department for Education and Section 106 funding. The new facility will shortly be further enhanced by the addition of a synthetic pitch for football and rugby, delivered in partnership with the Football Foundation. 

Robertson continues to support Northumberland County Council in improving and maintaining its education estate, following the recent handover of an extension and refurbishment at Berwick St Mary’s CE Primary School and the ongoing refurbishment of Wooler First School.