The Gainsborough secondary school development will bring four current schools and colleges under one roof and improve facilities and learning opportunities for pupils and the whole community.

Coun Christine Talbot, executive councillor for secondary education and healthier communities, marked this stage of the Academy development by performing a ‘topping out’ ceremony, at the site off Corringham Road.

“I am pleased to mark the completion of the highest point of the building for this impressive project,” said Mrs Talbot.

“Local residents will no doubt be aware of the four-storey structure taking shape over the town’s skyline.”

“Not only will the new facilities provide the very best curriculum for young people with a wide range of needs in the Gainsborough area, it will also create better opportunities to help raise educational standards,” she added.

Two new schools will be provided in the £33m scheme, known as the Gainsborough Educational Village, largely funded by Lincolnshire County Council.

It includes a new 11-16 secondary mainstream academy school and a new 11-19 secondary special school known as the Trent Valley Academy, the first entirely new secondary development in Lincolnshire for more than 40 years.

Steve McManaman from Miller Construction, who are building the Gainsborough Educational Village, also took part in the ceremony.

“The ‘topping out’ is a good way for us to show all those who have been involved in the project from the start how much progress has been made so far,” he said.

“We are looking forward to bringing the development to completion and celebrating with all those students who will be studying in the state-of-the-art buildings from 2009,” added Mr McManaman.

The new site will bring together all secondary-aged pupils from four schools – the Castle Hills Community Arts College, the Middlefield School of Technology, the William Harrison School and the Beckett School.

Although the Trent Valley Academy will open a year earlier in September 2008 in the existing school buildings, the new development won’t be ready for opening until a year later, in September 2009.