A new secondary school will replace the partially closed Haygrove School in Bridgwater by September 2028, officials have confirmed. Haygrove School, located on Durleigh Road, was partially shut in August 2023 because of safety issues with buildings completed as recently as October 2020.
Since the last general election, Conservative MP Sir Ashley Fox has actively urged the Department for Education (DfE) to provide funding for a new school. Early education minister Stephen Morgan pledged in December 2024 that a replacement would be delivered promptly. Now, Haygrove School has officially announced that the new facility will be built at Queenswood Farm, a site initially considered during the school’s planning phase in 2008.
The Department for Education anticipates that construction will start by late 2026, pending planning approval, aiming to open the new school to students by September 2028. Queenswood Farm is located on the western edge of Bridgwater in the neighboring parish of Durleigh, near the reservoir managed by Wessex Water. The area is bordered by Spaxton Lane, Skimmerton Lane, and residential developments east of Broadlands Lane. Nearby, Persimmon Homes Severn Valley holds permission to build 352 more homes south of the A39 Quantock Road.
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Originally, the Queenswood Farm site was selected under the Building Schools for the Future initiative announced by the Labour government in the late 2000s, which sought to modernize all secondary schools nationwide. Early designs released in 2010 proposed new access infrastructure, including a roundabout and large open play spaces.
However, following the Conservative win in the 2010 general election, the new build was canceled, and instead, the Durleigh Road site was extended with modular classrooms. Now, the Department for Education has reaffirmed the project’s priority status, with Haygrove School—a member of the Quantock Education Trust—receiving official confirmation of the move.
In a statement, the school expressed enthusiasm about the investment: “The DfE has formally confirmed Haygrove School’s relocation to the Queenswood site, marking a major milestone after extensive advocacy for improved facilities. This investment will positively affect local families for generations. We thank Somerset Council and the DfE for their support.
“The new campus will feature carbon-neutral, state-of-the-art facilities designed to enrich both academic and personal development. We look forward to sharing further details soon and appreciate the ongoing support from our community.”
While it’s yet unclear how the original 2010 designs will be adapted to modern standards—such as energy-efficient Passivhaus methods exemplified by Orchard Grove Primary School in Taunton—Somerset County Council’s head of education Phil Curd has confirmed the new school is planned with future expansion in mind.
Sir Ashley Fox welcomed the announcement on social media, stressing the importance of delivering a high-quality rebuild for current and future students. “I will continue collaborating with ministers and local partners to ensure Haygrove School becomes a facility that all can be proud of,” he said.