Construction group BAM has started work on two major school rebuilding contracts worth a combined £147 million in West Sussex and Kent, as part of the Department for Education's School Rebuilding Programme.

The projects include a £102 million redevelopment of Steyning Grammar School in West Sussex and a £45 million rebuild of Bradfields Academy in Chatham, Kent, in what the contractor describes as a significant investment in modern educational infrastructure across the South East.

Both schemes will involve the construction of purpose-built teaching facilities, with particular emphasis on accessibility, modern learning environments and maintaining school operations throughout the building programmes.

Steyning Grammar School: a single campus for 2,400 pupils

The larger of the two contracts will see BAM deliver a comprehensive redevelopment of Steyning Grammar School, bringing together its three existing sites into a single, purpose-built educational campus.

The £102 million project will create facilities capable of accommodating up to 2,400 students, consolidating the school's operations and providing a more integrated learning environment. The development will involve the construction of four new buildings, alongside multi-use games areas and an all-weather sports pitch, supporting both academic and extracurricular activities.

Situated within the South Downs landscape, the new campus has been designed to complement its natural surroundings, with the buildings and external spaces intended to integrate sensitively into the local environment.

Construction at Steyning began on 26 October, according to project reporting, and Bohunt Education Trust, which runs the school, says students are due to move into the first phase of the new buildings from September 2028, with final completion of the outdoor spaces and final block by 2030. The school's three sites at Rock Road in Storrington, The Towers in Upper Beeding and Shooting Field in Steyning will be brought together on the Shooting Field campus.

Bradfields Academy: a new SEND school in Chatham

In Chatham, BAM will undertake a £45 million redevelopment of Bradfields Academy, replacing the existing facilities with a new two-storey school designed specifically for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The development will provide modern accommodation for 444 pupils aged between four and 19, including dedicated sixth-form provision. The new building will incorporate fully accessible teaching spaces, therapy facilities and specialist life-skills accommodation, supporting a broad range of educational and developmental requirements.

A key challenge will be delivering the redevelopment while maintaining the academy's day-to-day operations. BAM will carefully phase the construction programme to minimise disruption, allowing teaching and learning to continue safely while the new facilities are developed.

£47m in social and economic value

Alongside the construction investment, BAM expects the two projects to generate a combined £47 million in social, local and economic value. The contractor's commitments include creating local employment opportunities, supporting apprenticeships and providing educational engagement activities for young people.

More than 800 hours of curriculum support will be delivered through T-Level programmes and work-experience placements, helping students gain exposure to careers within construction and the wider built environment.

Mark Gibson, DfE Director at BAM UK & Ireland, said: "These projects showcase BAM's expertise in delivering complex education schemes in live environments while ensuring safe, inclusive and effective learning continues throughout construction."

The two contracts form part of the Department for Education's wider School Rebuilding Programme, which is focused on replacing and upgrading school buildings across England.