nlmatters
Riddings Secondary School - 9th October 2025
Preparation work underway to demolish the former Riddings Comprehensive School, in Scunthorpe, as a specialist asbestos company is on site removing any hazardous substances ahead of the demolition teams moving in.
Work to remove any asbestos is expected to take a number of weeks prior the the building being raised to the ground. However the former school hall and gymnasium will remain for the time being as they are being used by the Kimberley Performing Arts Centre.
The Kimberley Performing Arts Centre have plans to build a purpose-built performing arts facility nearby, close the the Ridding Community Hub & Pool. Once built the former school hall and gym will too be demolished.
The demolition of the building is part of a wider "Riddings Master Plan," an extensive regeneration scheme for the area. This comprehensive plan also includes the future demolition of several other community facilities on Willoughby Road, such as the former library, community centre, sports hall, youth club, and clinic.
In 2023, North Lincolnshire Council unveiled its vision to leverage government funding and forge new partnerships to construct a contemporary community centre and new housing specifically for older residents on the vacant Willoughby Road site.
Councillor Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, expressed enthusiasm for the transformative projects. He stated, “This will be the single biggest investment in Riddings since the pool was opened in 1972."
Riddings Comprehensive opened in 1958 at a cost of £200.000 with head teacher Earnest Crowton, twelve staff and 160 pupils. As the Riddings Estate grew so did the school with a new three storey east building (new block) and new engineering block being built in the 1960s.
An Advert in the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph 22nd April 1958 read: "For 160 secondary school pupils in Scunthorpe the start of the summer term brings the pleasant task of pioneering an ultra modern education establishment which has cost nearly £200.000. This is the newly complete Riddings Secondary School, the 12th school to be completed in Scunthorpe since the second world war.
"The boys and girls starting this year are 1st & 2nd year pupils. Each year numbers will grow until the school has its full compliment of 700 children between the ages of 11 and 16.
"The headmaster of the new school is Ernest Cowton who was formerly headmaster of Immingham Secondary School.
"The school has an overall length of 350ft, an assembly hall measuring 60ft by 50ft, gymnasium, 27 classrooms, specialist rooms, kitchen and dinning room.
It is divided into two main sections, the two storey classroom block on the left of the entrance and the assembly hall, kitchen, dinning room and gymnasium on the right. The assembly hall has a stage equipped with full lighting and is also planned as an overflow classroom. The gymnasium has all the latest fixed and removable apparatus. The architects are Messer Clarke, Hall and Scorer of Lincoln."
The school was extended in the 1960s to deal with the growing number of pupils with the addition of a new 3 storey east block.
In September 1991 the school had a name change to South Leys, a further name change after the millenium saw it become Melior South Site, after a merger with the nearby Thomas Sumpter School. The school closed in September 2010 with staff and pupils being transfered to the north site under North Lincolnshire Council's 'Building Schools for the Future' program.
The original 'west' building (or old block), seen below, was breifly used as an Adult Education Centre. The engineering block was demolished in March 2011, the 'new block' and the water tower were demolished in November 2012.
Riddings Secondary School - 9th October 2025
Preparation work underway to demolish the former Riddings Comprehensive School, in Scunthorpe, as a specialist asbestos company is on site removing any hazardous substances ahead of the demolition teams moving in.
Work to remove any asbestos is expected to take a number of weeks prior the the building being raised to the ground. However the former school hall and gymnasium will remain for the time being as they are being used by the Kimberley Performing Arts Centre.
The Kimberley Performing Arts Centre have plans to build a purpose-built performing arts facility nearby, close the the Ridding Community Hub & Pool. Once built the former school hall and gym will too be demolished.
The demolition of the building is part of a wider "Riddings Master Plan," an extensive regeneration scheme for the area. This comprehensive plan also includes the future demolition of several other community facilities on Willoughby Road, such as the former library, community centre, sports hall, youth club, and clinic.
In 2023, North Lincolnshire Council unveiled its vision to leverage government funding and forge new partnerships to construct a contemporary community centre and new housing specifically for older residents on the vacant Willoughby Road site.
Councillor Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, expressed enthusiasm for the transformative projects. He stated, “This will be the single biggest investment in Riddings since the pool was opened in 1972."
Riddings Comprehensive opened in 1958 at a cost of £200.000 with head teacher Earnest Crowton, twelve staff and 160 pupils. As the Riddings Estate grew so did the school with a new three storey east building (new block) and new engineering block being built in the 1960s.
An Advert in the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph 22nd April 1958 read: "For 160 secondary school pupils in Scunthorpe the start of the summer term brings the pleasant task of pioneering an ultra modern education establishment which has cost nearly £200.000. This is the newly complete Riddings Secondary School, the 12th school to be completed in Scunthorpe since the second world war.
"The boys and girls starting this year are 1st & 2nd year pupils. Each year numbers will grow until the school has its full compliment of 700 children between the ages of 11 and 16.
"The headmaster of the new school is Ernest Cowton who was formerly headmaster of Immingham Secondary School.
"The school has an overall length of 350ft, an assembly hall measuring 60ft by 50ft, gymnasium, 27 classrooms, specialist rooms, kitchen and dinning room.
It is divided into two main sections, the two storey classroom block on the left of the entrance and the assembly hall, kitchen, dinning room and gymnasium on the right. The assembly hall has a stage equipped with full lighting and is also planned as an overflow classroom. The gymnasium has all the latest fixed and removable apparatus. The architects are Messer Clarke, Hall and Scorer of Lincoln."
The school was extended in the 1960s to deal with the growing number of pupils with the addition of a new 3 storey east block.
In September 1991 the school had a name change to South Leys, a further name change after the millenium saw it become Melior South Site, after a merger with the nearby Thomas Sumpter School. The school closed in September 2010 with staff and pupils being transfered to the north site under North Lincolnshire Council's 'Building Schools for the Future' program.
The original 'west' building (or old block), seen below, was breifly used as an Adult Education Centre. The engineering block was demolished in March 2011, the 'new block' and the water tower were demolished in November 2012.