Construction of a new rural-focused community school is due to begin next month after its developers overcame government concerns about the management of the project.

Hadlow Group – the company behind Hadlow College – announced this week its Hadlow Rural Community School will be built in the gounds of the college’s estate near Tonbridge.

The secondary institution, designed to act as a feeder for the college, will teach up to 330 pupils when it opens in September 2016.

Planning permission for the new buildings was approved by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in April last year and subsequently ratified by the Secretary of State.

However the new buildings came under scrutiny last year when the government wrote to Hadlow Group asking it to improve its financial management of the project, which it said was “significantly over-budget”.

The Financial Notice to Improve letter was issued after ministers raised concerns over the “inadequate management” of the scheme by Hadlow Rural Community School Academy Trust.

The school opened in September 2013, with pupils taught a land-based curriculum in temporary accommodation.

Finance director Mark Lumsdon-Taylor said: “The Hadlow Rural Community School suffered from a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications relating to a late submission of specific documents and this resulted in the Department for Education issuing the Financial Notice to Improve.

“Soon after issue, compliance was satisfactorily completed and at no time whatsoever has the school been in financial deficit.

“The Hadlow Rural Community School is unique in offering a challenging curriculum innovatively linked to land-based experiences.

“The academic, conduct and social inclusion standards being achieved at the school are excellent. The objective is to ensure every child develops into a well-rounded, happy and confident individual who fully reaches their potential.

“This is an exciting time and pupils, parents, staff and stakeholders are looking forward to the school moving into the new building which will completed in time for the start of the new academic year September 2016.”

The Department for Education said Hadlow was free to go ahead with the development.