A NEW school for Poole will begin to take shape this week as 45 bespoke modular units are delivered to the Constitution Hill Road site.

The ground works have been prepared at the former Fourways site ready for the modules, which were constructed in Ireland, to be put up in time to meet the tight schedule for the build.

The off-site form of building minimises disruption to neighbouring homes and is “much faster than conventional construction” said Noel Molloy, construction director at the McAvoy Group, which is behind the project.

He added: “This project is a mix of modular and conventional steel frame construction, but with the entire teaching block consisting of modular construction, 60 per cent of the building will be weather-tight within two weeks.

“The speed at which this part of the building is constructed means it will be ready for fit-out with immediate effect, minimising disruption during the on-site build period.”

Cllr Janet Walton, cabinet portfolio holder for children and young people at Borough of Poole, commented: “It is exciting to see the school taking shape over just a matter of days and I look forward to seeing it develop rapidly over the coming months.”

With a total capacity of 360 pupils aged seven to 11, the new school will help meet the growing need for Key Stage 2 places in the central Poole area, as increased numbers of children currently in Key Stage 1 move through the system.

It will open in September 2015, initially only to 90 Year Three pupils, and will then grow by one year group each year until 2018.

The new school, called Ocean Academy Poole, is to be sponsored by Aspirations Academies Trust (AAT), which sponsors nine academies in England, including Jewell Academy Bournemouth and Magna Academy Poole.

Funding of £3.8m towards the £5.6m project has been provision-ally allocated by the Department for Education.

A condition of the funding, which is due to be confirmed by December 12, is that the council will fund any shortfall.