A construction partner has been chosen to start work in January on a £28 million project to rebuild a Bradford school.

The work at Dixons Allerton Academy, in Rhodesway, will be carried out by Wates Construction. The local education partnership Integrated Bradford has confirmed it has selected the award-winning firm as the preferred bidder for the project.

Surrey-based Wates has a track record for delivering new education buildings and won Major Contractor of the Year in last year’s Building Awards.

Manchester-based BDP Architects has designed the new Dixons Allerton Academy for 1,920 primary, secondary and sixth form pupils aged three to 19. It will span 14,500 square metres on land adjacent to the existing school buildings in Oaks Lane.

The school will remain open during construction but will be demolished when the new buildings are completed in August 2013.

Dave Price (pictured right), business unit director for Wates Construction, Yorkshire, said: “Wates Construction is delighted to be awarded preferred-bidder status. We intend to use our role to provide training and employment opportunities in Bradford.”

Tony Smith, general manager of Integrated Bradford, said: “Integrated Bradford is delighted to strengthen its supply chain with the introduction of Wates. We look forward to the delivery of a high quality building, on time and within the budget allocated.”

Dixons Allerton Academy was the new name given to Rhodesway secondary school in 2009 when the school became a through-age academy sponsored by Dixons City Academy.

Previously, the academy’s principal Rachel Kidd said the building project was essential because of the poor state of the existing estate after a burst pipe caused a flood and ruined 11 classrooms in July last year.