£1m renovation creates new Sixth Form campus for James Rennie School

Over £1 million to renovate St. Edmunds Catholic Church has meant that the sixth forms's dedicated campus will be housed at the church on Orton Road, Carlisle.

The new campus has been repurposed to cater to the educational needs of young people, with St Edmund's set to open after the October half term holiday.

The project was completed with the help of key partners such as consultant Day Cummins, and contractor Story Contracting Limited.

The campus will form a specialist post-16 site, accommodating an increasing student body, with James Rennie's student numbers set to rise from 159 to 195.

Speaking about the renovation, Councillor Elaine Lynch, Cumberland Council’s Executive Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning and Development, said: “I am delighted that James Rennie’s new Sixth Form will officially open after the upcoming October half term holidays.

“With increasing demand for special school places, the expansions create much needed additional capacity while providing fantastic new facilities which will help young people reaching the end of their time at school develop and prepare for adult life.

“I would like to thank all parties involved and are grateful for their contributions and look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.”

Inside the new campus (Image: Cumberland Council)

Kris Williams, Eden Academy Trust Regional Director and James Rennie School Executive Head, said: “James Rennie School and Eden Academy Trust community is hugely excited for our new Sixth Form provision to open as it will provide students with a specialist post-16 site for the first time.

“The investment and partnership with Cumberland Council means we have been able to increase pupil numbers right across the school and support more pupils from our community than ever before.

“St Edmund's will be a place where post-16 students will prepare for transition into adulthood and learn to take their next steps beyond school.”