PUPILS at the new Swan School will get to migrate to the 'world-class' site in Marston in September.

The academy opened on a temporary base at the Cherwell School in September, becoming the first completely new state secondary school to open in Oxford in more than half a century.

Builders are progressing with work on the permanent site in Marston, where the Harlow Centre used to be, and hit a milestone yesterday as the roof went on.

ALSO READ: A look back at the school's opening in September

The school's headteacher Kay Wood said: "This is fantastic news for everyone involved with the school and for all those students hoping to start in Year 7 this September.

"The temporary facilities have worked well, but our new home is going to be world-class and we just cannot wait to move in."

The first 120-cohort of pupils will move to the new site after the summer holidays, joined by the school's second intake.

Their temporary site in Summertown, made up of high-quality mobile classrooms, gained planning permission for a maximum of two years.

This was in case the permanent site was delayed again, but developer Galliford Try has confirmed that construction is on track.

Ms Wood said: "We are all so impressed that Galliford Try has delivered what it said it would, despite challenges of an incredibly wet autumn and winter."

The free school is run by the River Learning Trust, which also operates the Cherwell School and many other Oxfordshire schools.

It is also in talks to take over The Oxford Academy in Littlemore, which went back into special measures last month.

ALSO READ: The Oxford Academy writes to parents about uniform

The Swan School will eventually teach 1,260 pupils, including those in sixth form.

Oxford City Council eventually granted planning permission for the permanent buildings in October 2018, following a shock earlier decision to refuse it.

The school is in Marston Ferry Road, and some councillors were concerned about the access road cutting across a busy cycle path.

Meadowbrook College, which was previously at the Harlow Centre, will also get an entirely new building on the Swan site.

Oxford would have been short of more than 100 Year 7 places last September if the school had not been able to open.

From this year, its annual intake will rise to 180 pupils.

The school's day is longer than most state schools, starting at 9.15am and finishing at 4.45pm except on Fridays.