DETAILED plans and artist's impressions of what will be Southampton’s first-ever four-to-16 school have been unveiled.

City bosses have released images of the new 900-place all-through school set to be built at the site of St Mark’s Church of England Primary School and the nearby ex-civil service playing fields in Freemantle.

They said work could start in spring or summer next year and the new school could be completed in summer or autumn 2022.

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New buildings will house the secondary school while the primary school building will be revamped.

A new sports building would be located centrally within the site serving all age groups.

But civic chiefs said that although the design proposes separate wings for primary and secondary teaching spaces, these will be linked to enable the whole school to operate as one.

The new buildings will provide spaces for a pre-school nursery, a two-form entry primary school and a six form entry secondary school.

Last week residents had the opportunity to quiz civic chiefs and look at the plans during a public consultation.

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Cllr Darren Paffey, cabinet member for aspiration, children and lifelong learning at Southampton City Council, said: “We are really pleased to be able to share this exciting vision for St Mark’s and move closer to creating hundreds of much-needed school places. We are making a significant investment to create a school that serves as a real beacon of high-quality learning and is another sign of our commitment to giving children and young people the best start in life.”

As reported, the new school is expected to cost £39.8m.

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The primary school hall

Last year the city council promised to create 1,500 new secondary places in the central region of the city by 2023.

Jeff Williams, director of education at the dioceses of Portsmouth and Winchester, said the planned expansion of St Mark’s school will offer young people in Southampton "fantastic facilities and an educational environment in which they can thrive".

He added: "Underpinned by a Christian ethos, St Mark’s provides a high standard of education for primary school pupils and it is our ambition for this to be available to students throughout their school years. Working in partnership with the Council, our proposals are an example of how the Church of England is expressing its commitment to support more children, of all faiths and none, in flourishing and reaching their potential.”

A formal planning application is expected to be submitted later this year.