Six test pits were put down at the site of the proposed Norwood High School to test foundation conditions. The testing programme showed that the soil was type RB3a, a stony red-brown earth that is a sub-dominant soil type in the Netherby Association. The soil has a strongly reactive “B” horizon, and a deeper horizon of limey silt that could have, when wet, a relatively lower bearing capacity than the other horizons in the profile. Footings have been recommended that will overcome the problem of the shrinking and swelling clay in the “B” horizon and the potentially lower bearing capacity of the limey silt.