The footage captures the 15-month construction of a new three-storey teaching block that has increased the school’s capacity by 300 students amid rising demand for school places. It means the school will have places for 1,330 students by 2024.

Jamie Foster, Headteacher at Chase High School, praised Ingleton Wood and Davis Construction for delivering the project on time and to budget despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Foster said: “The new ‘London’ building has made a significant difference in the everyday experiences of our pupils and further enhances our continued drive for high quality education for all learners. Each room in this new Humanities block is fitted with start of the art touch-screen teaching monitors and boasts the largest teaching spaces across the school.

“The addition of the separate dining facilities for key stage 4 and 5 now mean that all pupils have significantly reduced queue times at break and lunchtime in their own dedicated space making for a calm and pleasant dining experience.”

The name ‘London’ given to the new building was used to bring a small part of Southend history to the school’s community. The London shipwreck is one of over 700 wrecks off the coast of Southend and was one of three completed second-rate ‘large-ships’ of the 10 ordered for the First Anglo-Dutch War.

Ingleton Wood designed, tendered and managed the construction of the project which included 14 classrooms with interactive boards and teaching walls, offices, servery and toilet facilities along with a modern heating and cooling system throughout.

Chris Mabbutt, director at Ingleton Wood, said: “Despite the unique and unforeseeable challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we were very pleased to deliver the new teaching facility on time and to budget for the start of the new school year.

“The new building was designed to be in keeping with the sixth-form classrooms nearby but with improved energy efficiency, greater use of space, and providing best value for money.”

In addition to the new teaching block, areas of the existing school were upgraded a refurbished including the science rooms and reception area. The car parks were extended and additions were made to the sports facilities available at the school, including an all-weather tennis court and an extension to the long jump tracks.

Tom Davis, Managing Director at Davis Construction, said: “We are delighted to have completed the new three-storey sixth form teaching block at Chase High School, working with Ingleton Wood, Chase High School, and The Brentwood Academies Trust.

“The new building provides 12 new high-quality classrooms, a serving and dining area as well as offices and meeting rooms.  It is a substantial new space for further education in Southend-on-Sea. It has been a real pleasure to work on a local scheme helping young adults in Southend reach their full potential as they continue their education.

“Davis Construction (South East) Limited is a main contractor with significant experience of refurbishment and new build work in the education, healthcare and residential sectors.”

Ingleton Wood is one of the largest property and construction consultancies covering Central England, East Anglia, London and the South East, with offices in Colchester, Norwich, Cambridge, Billericay, Oxford and London. Its services include architecture, building surveying, building services engineering, planning, interior design, civil and structural engineering, quantity surveying, project management and health and safety.

To view the time-lapse video of the construction, visit: https://youtu.be/AdSbvfXJd6o