We are delighted to announce the official opening of our brand-new school building. This remarkable milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional education and enhancing learning opportunities for the children and young people we serve in our community.

The opening of our purpose-built school, along with the new building for Great Park Academy, marks a significant investment in the region's future education and the projects were funded through substantial investment by the Department for Education (DfE), with support from Newcastle City Council (NCC) via Section 106, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Basic Need funding.

Callerton Academy and Great Park Academy initially opened in 2021 in temporary accommodation as part of Wave 10 (Great Park Academy) and Wave 13 (Callerton Academy) of the DfE Free School Programme, ensuring much-needed secondary school places in the city. Both school’s new buildings opened to our students for the start of term in September 2025.

Our new school building features outstanding facilities and modern learning spaces, along with a dedicated sports complex that will be accessible to the community outside of school hours. Our students will benefit from contemporary classrooms and specialist facilities. The building designs include spacious, open central areas for lunch and break times, surrounded by classrooms, learning spaces and other facilities, as well as specialist areas for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), ensuring a collaborative and engaging environment. Additional features include ICT rooms, well-stocked libraries, science laboratories, drama studios, music rooms, art rooms, a theatre-style main hall, and design & technology rooms. The sports facilities comprise dance studios, sports halls, outdoor multi-use games areas, and large fields for football, games, and athletics. 

Last week, we celebrated the official opening of our school building with our students and welcomed guests from the DfE, NCC, community groups, Gosforth Group employees and Trustees. We were honoured to have Dame Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, as our Guest of Honour, who officially opened the school and unveiled a commemorative plaque that will be proudly displayed in our reception area. Guests enjoyed an outstanding musical performance from our students, who performed 'Hearts Are Pounding', a piece that was also written and composed by our talented students as part of a collaboration with New Writing North.

Dame Chi Onwurah explained the impact this project would have, “As the Member of Parliament for Newcastle Central and West, I know how vital high-quality education is to our city’s future. And as someone who was raised and educated in Newcastle, I know that having that space to learn and grow is crucial to so many young people. Callerton Academy has grown from just an idea, into what promises to be a thriving learning environment. It’s also a beginning for the almost 500 students who will walk these halls, for the more than 50 teachers who will inspire them and for the wider community that will benefit from their success. I look forward to seeing the incredible things that will come from this school in the years ahead.”

We are excited to expand our dedication to inclusive, high-quality education and strong community partnerships across Newcastle and beyond. Our Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Alexandra Thorp, shared her excitement, “We are thrilled to open the doors to our new academies. These learning spaces have been thoughtfully designed to inspire learning, foster creativity, and support the wellbeing of every student. It’s more than just a building; it’s a foundation for future success.”