Staff and pupils at Bedford Academy have been celebrating a milestone in the construction of their new two-storey building by signing part of the steel frame, before it is put into place.
When complete, the new facilities, which will be net zero in operation, will provide 16 classrooms along with changing rooms, and a dining area.
The £12.5m project is now in its eighth week and with the preparatory work complete and foundations in place, contractor Ashe Construction, is now assembling the steel frame.
Students from each year group joined in the celebrations along with head teacher Chris Deller, manager for major capital developments (environment) at Bedford Borough Council Jo Branson-Budd, councillor Jane Walker and the council’s speaker councillor John Wheeler. Also attending were representatives from the project team and project manager Pick Everard.
Designed by GSSArchitecture, the building, will operate to high energy efficiency levels. Chris Chapman, partner at GSS, said: “We are delighted to be working on this important project alongside Ashe Construction and the wider project team.
“GSS have worked closely with Bedford Academy to ensure the students, staff and local community groups’ views have been heard and where possible, incorporated into the design resulting in a modern and sustainable solution which we are sure will serve Bedford Academy for years to come. We are looking forward to seeing this project progress through to completion and most importantly, in use.”
Multi-disciplinary firm, Pick Everard, operating through Perfect Circle and accelerated under the SCAPE Scape Regional Construction framework, has been appointed by Bedford Borough Council to project manage the scheme.
Sean Conneely, director of project management at Pick Everard said: “The steel signing ceremony marked a significant milestone in the delivery of Bedford Academy, a sustainable, modern school where students will learn, grow, and flourish.
“It was a pleasure to attend the ceremony and witness the enthusiasm and excitement of students, teachers, Bedford Borough Council, and our dedicated delivery team. With a collective commitment to adding community value, we are pushing through the challenges and making excellent progress on the first phase of construction.”
A landscaped external terrace area will enable some classrooms to be opened for secure access to the outdoors.
Chris Deller, head teacher, said: “This is a wonderful time for our school and wider community, who will all benefit from this fantastic extension to our already very popular school. We have really enjoyed watching the building progress so far and are excited to see the new community building take shape over the next few months.”
Andrew Morris, Ashe’s business development director, added: “It’s a tradition for us to celebrate getting to this point in a project after many months of preparation, and it’s lovely to see the students get involved and find out what goes into a scheme like this. Perhaps it will even encourage them to consider a career in the construction industry. We look forward to seeing pupils and community groups benefit from the wonderful new facilities.”
Procured through the SCAPE Framework, Ashe has already handed over an extension to the school’s carpark, providing a further 40 parking spaces, with four electric vehicle charging stations and three disabled bays.
The school held a competition recently to redesign the school’s logo. Won by a year eight student, Ashe has incorporated the logo on site signage and hoarding.
The new facilities are due to be completed in August 2025 in time for the new academic year.