Pictured: Cllr Kuldip Sahota (left), Neil Stonehouse from Phoenix School, and Robin Butler from Kier Moss (right) agree the new contracts

Contracts have been signed on major construction projects at three Shropshire schools that will begin in the New Year.

Kier Moss, who built the new Abraham Darby development in Madeley, have now been appointed by Telford & Wrekin Council to carry out three more projects.

They will work on a new Phoenix School in Dawley, a skills centre at Mount Gilbert School which is also in Dawley, and a multi-building development at Newport Girls' High School.

Kier Moss managing director, Robin Butler, said: "We're delighted to have secured the contracts to carry out three more major projects in the Telford area. We've created a strong team during our time working on projects in Madeley, and these three new schemes will give us the opportunity to continue working together in partnership with the local council to improve education, leisure and community facilities."

The new projects are the last three schools to be developed in the first phase of the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Councillor Paul Watling, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "Kier Moss has played an integral role in the first phase of our Building Schools for the Future programme across Telford and Wrekin.

"They have been the main contractors on both the new Abraham Darby project and the sixth form block at Madeley, and now we have signed contracts on three more major construction projects."

Under the new contract, Mount Gilbert will see a new play area and dining facilities on three raised terraces - one will open up to provide a protective space for outdoor learning and play for some of the school's most emotionally-challenged pupils; the other two will connect to the existing school hall to create external dining facilities.

Newport Girls' High School will get four new classrooms and a multi-purpose hall, as well as a temporary demountable classroom unit. The hall will be used for school assemblies and general sporting activities.

The new £17.8 million Phoenix School on Paddock Mount will have extensive sports facilities, 100 full-time staff and on-site health services. The sports facilities will include an extra-large sports hall with 495 retractable seats for competition games, a floodlit artificial rugby pitch, athletics track, three football pitches, a cricket pitch, and six tennis courts.