The headteacher of Colchester’s newest school has voiced his optimism about its long-term future after a new contractor was appointed to construct its new permanent facilities.

Mark Orrin, who is the head of school at Trinity School, received the welcome news earlier this month that Bowmer and Kirkland, a construction and development group, had been appointed by the Department for Education to build the new school on the Chesterwell site.

Trinity School students and staff are currently sharing facilities with the Gilberd School after the previous building contractors, Laing O’Rourke, pulled out of an agreement to build the new school in Mile End.

The school was first due to open in 2019, but it was delayed until 2021 and then again until January 2023.

The earliest date the new school could open is now September of next year.
Despite the delays, however, Mr Orrin is nonetheless pleased to see a new firm appointed to oversee the construction of the Trinity School’s new facilities.

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He said: “We are delighted that Bowmer and Kirkland, a firm with such a strong track record of delivering school buildings on time, has committed to this build.

“Trinity School is benefiting greatly from working so closely with The Gilberd School in its opening two years, but there is no doubt we are looking forward to the Department for Education handing us the keys to our permanent buildings and enabling us to move on to our new site.”

Plans for the new school include a three storey building to the south of the site, as well as a multi-use games area to the north of the school.

The construction firm Bowmer and Kirkland has worked for the Department for Education since 2013 and has built or secured 66 projects worth more than £1billion.

It was also awarded theDepartment for Education Contractor of the Year award in 2019.
Trinity School welcomed its first students in September last year and will have an enrolment of 120 pupils across Year 7 for its first two years.

It is hoped by 2027, Trinity School will have a full, 900-student enrolment at its new site.