HOLYROOD Academy pupils have added their signatures to the new Holyrood Academy expansion project this week.

Students signed their names on the first steel frames put in place for the £5.6m project in Chard.

The Holyrood Academy expansion project is part of a school improvement plan worth £7.5m from Somerset County Council and Futures Somerset.

David MacCormick, Holyrood Academy headteacher said: “It’s wonderful our students get to contribute their messages and signatures to the history of the school through this new building.

"The new capacity will greatly benefit current and future cohorts in Chard with classroom space, dining area and new entrance.”

Aside from the expansion, further improvements to existing facilities are being carried out over 2 phases. The new build is set to be completed by April 2023.

Because the steel frames signed by pupils are set inside the building, the pupil signatures will be encased within the extension out of sight for now.

But at some point in the future when the site is redeveloped again, these signatures will be uncovered and be a fascinating glimpse into the past life of the school and the building, like a time capsule protected by the building itself.

The expansion is being built by Somerset County Council’s construction contractors BAM Ltd.

Councillor Tessa Munt, executive lead member for children’s services at Somerset County Council said: “This expansion will provide extra school places for Chard with a building that is energy efficient and hides a little bit of secret history.

"The pupils signing those hidden steel rods will know that in the future it might be their descendants discovering their messages from the past, and that everything they have put into Holyrood Academy during their time at the school will have helped shaped the opportunities of future generations to succeed.”

The building project has involved:

The build will provide an additional 1250m2 gross internal floor space and a purpose built kitchen and dining facility to provide meals to 270 pupils.

An additional six classrooms, new office spaces and meeting rooms, as well as a single point of entry into the school, means Holyrood’s capacity will benefit from an additional 225 places, helping meet school place demand from Chard’s growing population.

We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.

Please report any comments that break our rules.

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here

© 2001-2022. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. A Gannett Company. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. HP10 9TY. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |

Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event.

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.