The Department for Education has appointed Willmott Dixon to deliver the £46 million rebuild of Bramhall High School in Stockport.
Construction is now due to start in October on new school buildings, which will replace old structures following the recent discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), after planning permission was formally granted earlier this year.
Existing school buildings have already been made safe for students, and will continue to be used while construction work is underway, then be largely demolished once construction completes in 2028. Willmott Dixon has already been working alongside the school, DfE, and Stockport Council since May 2025 on an extended preconstruction period given the operation challenges of a major construction project within the confines of an active secondary school.
The new school buildings have been designed by architects, Sheppard Robson, and will comprise a new three-storey 9,252 sq m school building, and will include attached sports facilities, and increase the number of classrooms for the school’s SEN provision.
The new school building scheduled for completion in August 2028, in time for the 2028/29 academic year, with overall site completion, including demolition of the older buildings, is expected in September 2029.
Willmott Dixon will prioritise spend with local businesses and create local employment opportunities alongside delivering over 400 hours of engagement with the school through work experience, trade placements and other programmes. The rebuild of Bramhall High School is the latest Stockport appointment for the contractor, which also delivered the town centre’s new transport interchange and rooftop park, as well as the new £20 million Marple Community Hub, which is in its final stages of construction.
Mike Walmsley, North West Operations Director at Willmott Dixon:
“We’re delighted to be delivering the new Bramhall High School and to be playing a part in creating an excellent new learning environment for pupils. Bramhall will be rebuilt around a school that stays open every single day of the programme. Sequencing the new building, the demolition of six blocks and the external works so that teaching is never interrupted is the discipline that will define this project, and is is the reason the DfE and the school brought us in more than a year before we start on site.
“This is our third major Department for Education appointment in the North West inside twelve months, and our third recent project in Stockport. That continuity gives us a local supply chain and a local workforce we can draw on from day one, rather than building both from scratch.”
Paul Williams, Headteacher of Bramhall High School:
“This rebuild is a transformative moment in our school’s history. Working with the Department for Education and Willmott Dixon, we are creating a state-of-the-art school that reflects the ambition, resilience and excellence that define Bramhall High School. After a challenging period due to RAAC, this project marks a bold new chapter, one that will benefit students for decades to come.”
Cllr Mark Roberts, Stockport Council Leader:
“This is a hugely positive step for Bramhall High School and its pupils. This investment in our borough will give children and young people the skills and confidence to succeed not just in school, but in life, creating an improved and more inclusive learning environment for generations of students to come. It is also a clear example of how we are delivering on our Council Plan and our ambition for Stockport to be the best place to grow up, with excellent schools that help every child achieve their full potential.
“We look forward to seeing Willmott Dixon bring forward a school that matches the ambition we have for good education provision across our borough, along with specialist SEND provision for young people to access the right support in the right environment.”
