ISG has scooped a £7.3 million contract to build a new school for Manchester City Council (MCC), via the North West Construction Hub Framework (NWCH).

The new Southern Cross School in Northenden, Manchester will accommodate up to 120 pupils aged nine to 16, managed by The Endeavour Federation; an organisation with a proven track record of delivering high-quality education for young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

In February, members of the public were invited to a pre-planning public consultation event for the project, to be located on the site of the former Roundwood Secondary Special School. The new school will enable MCC and its partners to offer young people the dedicated and specialist educational opportunities they need, in a modern high-quality designed facility, with landscaped surroundings to add value to the local area.

Southern Cross School teaching staff and pupils, plus representatives from Manchester City Council, joined ISG to mark the start on site

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Planning permission was granted, and site activity began at the end of July. To mark the start on site, ISG was joined by Executive Head, Alan Braven, pupils from Southern Cross School, local councillors and members of MCC’s project team. The pupils are currently based in alternative accommodation until their new school is complete in readiness for the 2021/2022 academic year.

Initial works involve compaction of the existing ground to lay the foundations for the new build, before the main construction begins to create a steel-frame structure with external brickwork design, to include all services, finishes and fit out. External works include new car parking bays, a multi-use games area (MUGA), new fencing, landscaping, playgrounds and horticultural areas.

ISG is also working with MCC on the design development for two further SEN/SEMH schools as part of a wider programme of works. This follows the delivery a programme of ten educational basic need (EBN) primary schools for the Council to meet demand for additional form entry. Delivered across two phases, the programme was completed in time for the 2018/19 academic year.

ISG framework director, Neil Walker, commented: "We are delighted to be working with Manchester City Council again on its latest schools programme, as we mark the start on site at Southern Cross School. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, we have been able to continue to progress these important schemes, achieved through effective partnership working across the whole team. This ethos is integral to the North West Construction Hub and a key driver of its continued success as a procurement partner for public sector schemes across the region."