MILLIONS of pounds is being injected into two north Essex schools to deliver major expansions which will benefit students and staff.

Morgan Sindall Construction, based in Ipswich, has been named as the main contractor appointed to deliver the expansions, totalling £7.4 million.

The schools benefitting from the boost are Colne Community School and College in Brightlingsea and Clacton County High School.

The upgrades were awarded to the company by Essex County Council.

Works at Colne Community School and College will include the development of a new £4 million teaching block containing eight general teaching classrooms, two resistant material technology rooms, two food technology rooms, a seminar room and plant room.

At Clacton County High School the team will deliver a £3.5 million expansion project which includes the construction of a new standalone teaching block creating ten general teaching classrooms, a plant room and a four-court sports hall.

The development will increase the school’s offering from 1,695 permanent school places up to 1,800 for years seven to 11, while the 500 sixth form students will relocate to an alternative site on Jaywick Lane, Clacton.

Morgan Sindall Construction will also be building a standalone teaching block at The Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh, where the new £2 million building will provide an extra 150 school places for children of high school age, as well as remodelling some external areas to provide access to the adjacent 57 acre Sweyne Park.

The new teaching block will include six general teaching rooms and WC and staff rooms, with special provisions and classroom enhancements to support suitable education for hearing impaired pupils.

Chris Travers, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction’s Essex office, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded these three key schemes that will bolster the region’s educational offering and help meet the needs of these growing communities.”

“Morgan Sindall Construction is proud to champion the use of modern methods of construction, providing a more efficient, environmentally friendly and Covid-safe way of working that ensures our first-class educational facilities are delivered with both our clients and our project teams needs in mind.”

Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for education and skills, said: “We continue to be able to offer the vast majority of pupils a place at one of their parents’ preferred schools and our ongoing investment in school infrastructure is vital in maintaining that track record.”

The projects are set to be completed by the end of the year.