Temporary school buildings in Blyth removed without being used due to contractor's financial difficulties

The site on Tynedale Drive was set to be used by Gilbert Ward Academy when the school opened in September 2023 until its state of the art long term premises on Princess Louise Road was complete.

Gilbert Ward Academy was given the keys to its permanent building in January without it ever using the temporary buildings.

The school for 11 to 16-year-olds with social, emotional, and mental health needs and autism instead used Briardale House and The Isabella Centre as interim homes, which the school described as “challenging.”

Module-AR, the contractor appointed to construct the short term accommodation, encountered financial difficulties and could not complete the project, meaning the site could not be used.

Details of the contract with Module-AR to provide the buildings has not yet been made public, and the Department for Education did not confirm if taxpayer money was spent on the unusable project when approached by the Northumberland Gazette.

Module-AR later went into administration and was rescued by Vanguard Healthcare Solutions in December. The firm’s Hull facility and its staff were maintained.

Vanguard has assumed ownership of the temporary buildings and recently removed them from the site.

Gilbert Ward Academy was built by the Department for Education with a capital contribution from the Northumberland County Council after the local authority bid for funding through a government scheme to finance new free schools. It is run by Prosper Learning Trust.