New secondary school confirmed by government
Nadia Lincoln - Local Democracy reporter
Sun, December 14, 2025 at 1:22 PM UTC
2 min read
The government has confirmed that a new secondary school in Northamptonshire will get built.
Plans for a free school on Hanwood Park estate, in Kettering, were first approved by the Department for Education in 2021.
The government confirmed the project would go ahead after deciding to drop other new free school projects across the country.
Rosie Wrighting, Labour MP for Kettering, welcomed the confirmation from ministers, and said she understood residents were "concerned" over pressure "on already over-subscribed secondary schools".
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In 2011, planning permission was granted to build 5,500 new homes at Hanwood Park, which is one of the nation's largest planned garden communities, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Reform UK-run North Northamptonshire Council said it had predicted there would be a significant shortfall in secondary places from 2027 to 2028 without the school.
'Crushing strain'
Prior to the government announcement, a full council meeting last week heard local dad David Wilmot say there had been a "catastrophic failure" to deliver a new school.
"The delay means that by 2030, hundreds of children who deserve a local high-quality education will be forced to travel further, clogging our roads, disrupting family life and placing an unbearable and crushing strain on our already stretched existing schools," he said.
The school was originally expected to open by 2024, but there had been no formal confirmation from the government on whether work could progress.
Chris Langdon, project director at Hanwood Park, said: "We are mobilised and ready to get moving.
"So alongside our new facilities coming forward such as the new David Lloyd Club, this decision is another clear vote of confidence in the sustainability and ongoing success of Hanwood Park."
The council said it would seek further clarity on a clear timescale for the delivery of the school, which will be run by the Orbis Education Trust.
Wrighting said: "I will keep pushing for an opening date to be confirmed and will update constituents as soon as I have more information to share."
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