Kier will build a 600-pupil secondary school and a 110-place Special Education Needs school. The secondary school will later be extended in two subsequent phases to allow for 1,800 pupils

Enabling works on the project are now underway with first pupils due to start in September 2019.

Mark Dady, managing director at Kier Eastern, said: “Having previously constructed Pathfinder, Northstowe’s first primary school, we are delighted to now be delivering the next phase of education provision for the emerging Northstowe community.

“This addition to the school development further builds on our position as a leading UK provider of educational buildings and we are looking forward to starting the first phase of works on this project.”

Councilor Simon Bywater, Chairman of the Children and Young People Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “It has taken several years to get to this point and a huge congratulations to all the parties involved that have made it possible to get to where we are today.

“This is a truly one-of-a-kind, landmark project bringing all core education and community facilities together into one place for the children of Northstowe and Longstanton and the wider community.”