Castle Rushen: Work on £30m rebuild of 'unfit' school to begin

News imageRichard Hoare/Geograph Castle Rushen High SchoolRichard Hoare/Geograph
The work will be phased to keep the existing school "live" and minimise disruption

The £30m rebuild of a secondary school deemed unfit for purpose by staff will begin in March, it has been revealed.

Head teacher Keith Winstanley said Castle Rushen High School had classrooms that were "too small" and a "constantly leaking roof".

The existing school, which was built in 1961, was last worked on in 2016.

Mr Winstanley said the creation of a new facility, which will begin with new playing fields in 2020, would bring the school "bang up to date".

News imageISLE OF MAN GOVERNMENT Plans for the first phase of the Castle Rushen High School projectISLE OF MAN GOVERNMENT
New football and cricket pitches will be created in the first phase

Ground source heat pumps for the new building's heating system will be laid during the first phase of work, which should be finished by October 2020.

Construction on the new school will follow and should be completed by 2024.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture's Richard Collister said the work was being done in phases to "keep the existing school live" and minimise disruption to pupils.