Lathams is creating a new school on the existing hilltop site of Darton High School, a 1,350 pupil secondary community school which is visible from the M1 motorway. The design concept for the new school revolves around four learning pavilions attached to a central triple height atrium containing the community, resource, and performance spaces. The school will feature state-of-the-art physical and virtual facilities for secondary and special pupils, adult learners, teachers, support staff and others involved in the teaching and learning environment. Work began in July 2009 for completion in December 2010, when the existing school will be demolished and the area landscaped. Darton is among the first of a total of 11 schools which will be delivered through the Barnsley BSF programme - nine Advanced Learning Centres or ALCs, and two special schools. Lathams is working on the programme as part of the Barnsley Partnership for Learning (BP4L), a joint venture between Laing ORourke and John Laing. As the teams Design Champion, Derek Latham led four other, nationally recognised education architect practices in designing four sample schools upon which the bid was initially chosen.