Rishi Sunak took part in a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of a new multi-million pound primary school in Northallerton.

Mr Sunak, Prime Minister and MP for Richmond, joined the milestone occasion, which signalled the start of construction at the Alvertune Road site.

Also in attendance were representatives from North Yorkshire Council, the Dales Academies Trust and the contractors, Hobson and Porter.

The school will be run by the Dales Academies Trust and will be based in the northern part of Northallerton, where a major new housing development has been built.

It will be called Oakbridge Church of England Primary School and will begin welcoming its first pupils in September next year.

North Yorkshire Council said the 2024 opening date gives certainty to the availability of school places in a part of the county where housing growth is expected to increase the population. A phased opening will start with reception children in 2024, expanding to the full cohort over seven years.

During his visit, the Prime Minister also took time out to see the council’s Multiply team in action. The scheme is an adult numeracy programme which has been allocated £2.6m to be spent in North Yorkshire through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund up to March 2025.

A series of ‘fun on a budget’ workshops were held for families at the campus in Northallerton. Free activities were held to help with budgeting tips, ideas for free days out and how to enjoy the summer holidays with children while sticking to a budget.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, the council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, said: “We were delighted to welcome Rishi Sunak and are so pleased that work has begun at the new school site.

“This demonstrates the council’s commitment to making sure there are the right number of school places, which allows children to be educated in their local communities.

“We continue to provide children and young people across North Yorkshire with the best learning environments, enabling all our leaners to thrive. We believe Oakbridge Church of England Primary School is going to be a tremendous asset for the community."

Cllr Wilkinson added: “The Multiply project has been a huge success in North Yorkshire. It has encouraged learners to experience new activities and, for many, remove their ‘fear’ of maths.”

Darlington and Stockton Times: From left, North Yorkshire Council leader Cllr Carl Les, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, Amanda Newbold,

Speaking about his visit, Mr Sunak said: “It was great to see work under way on a very important multi-million-pound investment in education in Northallerton.

“This is a vital element of the North Northallerton development project, part of making sure the new housing has the appropriate infrastructure in place to support the families that will be moving here."

The school’s location is close to the new link road which spans the site earmarked for housing.

Nikkie Godbold, director of primary for Dales Academies Trust and executive headteacher of the new school, said: “We considered at length the naming of the school. Ultimately, we were inspired by an oak tree in the vicinity of the development and the new bridge at the other end of the road on which the school is situated.”

The site was acquired through a planning condition agreed with a housebuilder developing land nearby and Oakbridge Primary itself will account for investment of more than £7m when complete.