Work will start immediately on the designs by architect Hunters with completion due by the start of term in September 2014.

New features will include a high specification outdoor climbing wall, conference and performance space that can seat up to 300, a recording studio, a Sixth Form Centre, a Business, Economics and ICT area, ‘A’ level Physics, Chemistry and Biology laboratories, and new graphics and art suite.

An All Weather Pitch with the capacity to hold three five a side football courts will also open in August.

Most of the new facilities will be contained in a new three-storey building, while Willmott Dixon will also refurbish and convert a range of areas within the existing academy buildings to provide a dance studio and a fitness suite.

The result will be an academy with state of the art facilities for 1,550 students (including 350 in the sixth form).

John Waterman, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the southern Home Counties said: “As a company with a strong Kent base, we’ll be looking to work with local companies as much as possible to ensure we recycle the ’local pound’ and sustain hundreds of jobs during the work phase.”

Willmott Dixon Capital Works CEO John Frankiewicz said: “We are very proud to be working with a number of different schools across the country now – existing schools, academies, new Free Schools and University Technical Colleges.

“This track record of delivery enables us to improve our offer all of the time, working with the client, the school and local community to create places where young people can thrive and reach their full potential.”