Work begins next week on the construction of Nottingham’s £90m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The first turf will be cut on Monday, (July 7) on the site of the new special school (Centre of Excellence) the Oak Field School and Specialist Sports College at Bilborough, one of three schools being rebuilt or remodelled as part of the BSF programme. Pupils from all the schools will join Councillor David Mellen, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, to break the ground at the Bilborough campus.

Alongside the Oak Field School and Specialist Sports College replacing Shepherd and Aspley Wood Schools, will be a remodelled and completely refurbished Hadden Park High School, both on the integrated Harvey Hadden Campus. In Top Valley, a new secondary school will replace Big Wood School. All three new schools are planned to open in Autumn 2009.

Councillor David Mellen, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services said: "I am delighted that we are now seeing the building work begin on this programme which is hugely significant for Nottingham. BSF will not only provide buildings that are fit for the 21st century but it will continue the transformation secondary education in Nottingham. The new schools will also have a positive impact on local communities by providing access to a wide range of facilities for children, young people and their families"

The name of the new special school, Oak Field School and Specialist Sports College, will be announced at the turf cutting ceremony. It has been chosen following consultation with pupils, parents and carers and staff from the current Shepherd and Aspley Wood Schools and links in with concepts of growth, strength and ecological sustainability. The name was also selected for its ease of pronunciation and short words which is important for pupils at the school.

In addition, the appointment David Stewart (currently Head Teacher of Shepherd School) as the Head Teacher Designate of the new special school will be announced. David will take up appointment on 1 January 2009, two terms before the closure of Shepherd and Aspley Wood Schools.

He said: "This is a real honour to be given this opportunity to establish a centre of excellence which builds on the strengths of two very successful schools. The new building will give us the means to provide the very best for the children and young people of the City and County. We look forward to working with a wide range of partners to ensure that the school is very much part of community and one of which pupils and parents can be justly proud."