Kingsthorpe Community College currently operates from two sites at Welford Road and Boughton Green Road.

The new college will be built at the Boughton site and will include additional facilities such as a 400m running track, tennis courts and a gym.

The building is part of a �200m Private Finance Initiative project to rebuild and remodel 41 schools in the town.

The project will accommodate the town's switch from a three to a two-tier education system.

Head teacher Judith Long said: "We are all delighted that work has started on our new school which will provide a state of the art centre of teaching for all learners in the Kingsthorpe area."

The new college is expected to be completed in 2007 and will accommodate more than 1,400 year seven to 13 students.