BAM Construct has been chosen to build an £8 million free school on the site of the former Hull FC rugby stadium. The contractor will deliver the facility for the Boulevard Academy at the site on Airlie Street in the East Yorkshire city. The school will feature a two-storey entrance building containing sports facilities, a dining room, a learning resource centre and administrative functions.

This will lead to a three-storey teaching block with modern learning environments and hi-tech IT suites. BAM is speaking to the local council and community at an early stage to smooth the planning process ahead of a tight build schedule. Work will begin on site in January 2013 with the first intake of 120 pupils joining the school eight months later. The project is due to complete in January 2014, with further intakes until the school is at full capacity of 600 pupils in September 2017. BAM construction manager Paul Cleminson said: “We look forward to creating a modern, well-equipped school that the local community can be proud of. “BAM is proud to be using its skills and experience to deliver this project to meet the client’s needs despite a challenging deadline.” Boulevard Academy will operate outside local authority control and offer an English Baccalaurate to pupils rather than GCSEs. The Boulevard rugby stadium hosted Hull FC games until the club moved to the KC Stadium in 2003. It also hosted rugby matches in several world cups.