News

This summer King Edward's School will be embarking on its biggest building project since the 1930s.

Thanks to a generous donation from Paul Ruddock (1976), a former pupil of the school, work will begin on a new £10 million performing arts centre, which will be shared with King Edward VI High School. The centre, which will be named the Paul and Jill Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, will occupy the area next to Big School, replacing the current gymnasia and music school and opening up the forgotten land of Chantry Court. The remainder of the funding will come from the two schools' existing resources and a major investment from the King Edward's Foundation.

The outside of the building will reflect the patterned brickwork of the Hobbiss original and look out not only to the great oak by Big School but also across the King Edward High School's hockey pitches to Winterbourne and beyond. The innards of the building will provide a main auditorium with seating for over 400 and a stage big enough for an orchestra of 90, a drama studio that will seat 120 in various configurations, a large dance/performance space and teaching, rehearsal and practice rooms for the school's music department.

Demolition work will begin in July and the building work is expected to be finished at the end of 2011.

Please click here to view the plans.