A NEW sixth form building is now under construction at a Bradford secondary school after plans were approved.

Immanuel College, on Leeds Road, Idle, has been granted planning permission to extend its years 12 and 13 provision.

The new building is expected to open in spring 2025, the school revealed.

It will make space for 100 more pupils looking to earn their A Levels.

It comes almost a year after the Trust secured £4 million to build the new state-of-the-art extension.

The extension will have six new classrooms, a social study space, a common room as well as a dining room complete with catering facilities.

The new school buildings will also be environmentally sustainable and more energy efficient to cut carbon emissions and the rising cost of bills.

The college previously extended its Key Stage 3 and 4 provision and continues to be oversubscribed.

The Post-16 provision can now be extended to match the growing lower school.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: “We were delighted to receive DfE approval for a sixth form expansion and new build in May 2023 and construction on the new sustainable building has already begun on site. 

“We are now looking forward to welcoming students into the new build in Spring 2025.”

The recently approved plans include a single-storey building with a ‘two-storey element’ and flat roof.

The teaching block will result in the loss of a small area of the playing field. 

But the changes will mean part of the sloping playing field is levelled out to make it more usable.

Speaking last year after the Government funding was announced, Steve Mulligan, headteacher at Immanuel College, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Immanuel College has been prioritised for funding to provide a brand-new extension for our sixth form.

“We are very proud of the outcomes achieved by our students, and they fully deserve this exciting new provision.

“We look forward to welcoming both Immanuel and external students to our open events in the autumn term, where we will be able to tell them more about the exciting future that lies ahead.”

At the time, Carol Dewhurst OBE, CEO of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust, added: “The securing of this new build and extension of provision at Immanuel College is excellent recognition of the high-quality education the school provides day in and day out to all the students at the college.

“We look forward to welcoming more students to the Academy from September 2024 and are working hard to ensure that we provide them good access to an exciting range of subjects supported by high-quality teaching when they walk through the doors."