Work to provide the permanent buildings required for expansion of Borden Grammar School, Sittingbourne, has begun.

The school has already increased its intake for Year 7 admissions over the past two years from four forms to five (from 120 to 150 pupils) through the provision of two mobile classrooms.

This follows a demand for places due to an increase in the number of births from 2008 to 2012, inward migration and house building in the area.

The construction company Kier Group has been awarded the £6.975million contract to build a two-storey teaching block, specialist classrooms for science and IT, staff rooms and a three-court sports hall with changing facilities. Among other requirements are a new lift and staircase.

Additional investment has been made since the project was first mooted, including providing artwork to the side of the new Sports Hall to comply with a planning condition to complement the environment of the Avenue of Remembrance, enhanced drainage and sustainable soakaway provisions to avoid overwhelming the street and school drainage, and solar panels on the roof to reduce the school’s carbon footprint. A more resilient buffer against inflation has also been provided.

Developer contributions amounting to £3,079,650.77 have been sought towards grammar school expansions in Sittingbourne. Of this £313,229.77 has been secured and agreed with a total of £72,658.64 received.

The school was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2021.

Rory Love, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: “I am delighted to see this permanent expansion of Borden Grammar get under way.

“The demand in Swale for extra secondary school places has required an increase in both the selective and non-selective provision. The work at Borden as well as the planned new accommodation to be built at Highsted Grammar School for girls will enable them to continue to take five forms of entry on a permanent basis and help us meet the demand for grammar school places.”