Work begins on redevelopment of St Dunstan’s College in Catford

Work has begun on a new junior school, sixth form and science and technology block at a Catford school.

St Dunstan’s College marked the start of the new development, to be completed next year, by ‘breaking the ground’ with contractor Willmott Dixon on Friday, January 17.

Willmott Dixon gave pupils a tour of the building site and explained to them what would be happening over the next 18 months, before some of them got a chance to have photos in the large digger.

Then the headmaster, Nicholas Hewlett, bursary team and a group of governors were given a tour of the site.

Mr Hewlett said: “This represents the most significant redevelopment of our college sites since our foundation in Catford in 1888.

“I feel sure our founders and benefactors would be proud of the innovative new buildings that are being constructed, as records show they were intent that a St Dunstans education should be ‘ahead of the current time’.

“As one of the first schools in the world to have invested in science and technology laboratories, it seems fitting that 130 years on, we are creating state of the art STEM facilities for the next generation of Dunstonians.”

Designed by Bond Bryan, the new development will be sited adjacent to the existing historic headmaster’s house and be connected by a glass atrium.

Built over two, three and four storeys, phase one will see the demolition of some existing buildings and the construction of the new junior school.

Phase two will see the delivery of the STEM Centre and Sixth Form Centre.