The £11m contract will see the firm create Newcastle High School for Girls by remodelling Church High School’s  Victorian buildings at Tankerville Terrace and building a new three-storey school block.

The development follows the merger of Central Newcastle High School and Church High School.

The extension, designed by architects Ellis Williams, will include a multi-purpose assembly hall, dining room, fitness suite, science labs and additional classroom spaces.

Work is due to start this month, with completion scheduled for summer 2016.

The work will also see Wates grow its relationship with the Girls’ Day School Trust, which to date has included the £20m design and build of South Hampstead High School in London and Sheffield High School.

Paul Dodsworth, business unit director for Wates Construction North East and Yorkshire, said: “Wates has delivered over 40,000 school places in the past three years, which has given us a wealth of experience in addressing the individual curriculum needs of each school whilst ensuring that minimal disruption is caused during construction.”>