Friesland School has celebrated a major milestone in the construction of its new school building, with students and staff given the opportunity to see first-hand the progress being made on the transformative development.
Representatives from BAM Construction and MACE welcomed students, school leaders and guests to a special topping out ceremony, marking the point at which the building has reached its highest structural level and recognising the significant progress achieved so far.
The event began with a presentation looking back at the project’s journey before a group of students joined Headteacher Craig Patterson and The Two Counties Trust’s Chair of Trustees for a tour of the new building.
Exploring the site gave students a unique opportunity to see how the building is taking shape, before making their way to the roof, where they joined representatives from Friesland School, BAM Construction and MACE in signing a steel section of the building to commemorate the occasion.
The milestone marks another exciting step forward in a project that has been several years in the making. Feasibility work began with the Department for Education and MACE in August 2022, while major construction activity started in October 2025.
Since breaking ground, significant work has taken place across the site, including the installation of an 850,000-litre attenuation tank, almost 1,600 cubic metres of concrete and 84 ground-source boreholes. Around 10,000 tonnes of stone and gravel, equivalent to approximately 500 lorry loads, has also been brought onto the site during the latest phase of construction.
With the main structure now complete, work will continue over the coming months as the building moves closer to completion ahead of its handover next year. Students and staff are set to begin enjoying the new facilities from September 2027.
Reflecting on the landmark moment, Friesland School Headteacher Craig Patterson said:
“Friday’s topping out ceremony was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate how far this project has come and to recognise all of the work that has gone into making our new building a reality.
“It was a real pleasure for our staff and students to reflect alongside BAM Construction, MACE, the Department for Education and our Two Counties Trust team on everything that has been achieved since the successful bid to replace parts of our school in July 2022.
“As we enter the final months of the building phase, it is incredibly exciting and deeply rewarding to see our new school taking shape and becoming a tangible reality rather than simply plans on a page. I cannot wait for teaching to begin in the new building in September 2027. It is an incredibly exciting time for Friesland School and our wider community.”
The students who attended the ceremony were equally impressed by the scale of the development and the opportunity to experience the building from a unique perspective.
Samuel V said: “I was shocked at how big the new school is. I think the new school will be very well organised.”
Audrey G added: “It was exhilarating being up on the roof! I was surprised at how big it was.”
Emily O said: “It was really good and spacious. I think the building has been planned really well. I’m excited to have lessons there, especially drama!”
