
Ashe Construction has been awarded a £12m design & build contract to construct an extension at Bedford Academy for Bedford Borough Council.
The 60-week project will result in the construction of 16 cutting-edge classrooms, complemented by changing facilities, a dining area, and a community café. The building is designed for high efficiency and aims to achieve Net Zero Carbon in Operation status.
Situated on Mile Road, the school currently has 1,350 pupils enrolled. The new facilities are set to accommodate an additional 300 pupils, contributing to a phased expansion to 1,800 pupils by 2029. This expansion will rank it among the largest secondary schools in Bedford.
The new classrooms are designed to be bright, safe, and straightforward, equipped with whiteboards and ICT facilities. Student feedback has influenced the room layouts, allowing teachers to move freely among desks for closer interaction with pupils and to remotely control the whiteboard and PowerPoint presentations, enhancing the learning experience.
The extension, crafted by GSS Architecture, will offer versatile multi-use spaces, enabling its function as a community hub beyond school hours. Certain multi-use rooms will feature dual internal access points, varying with the time of day and user group, while an adjoining landscaped terrace will allow select classrooms to extend securely outdoors. The community will benefit from this space, including sports clubs like football, basketball, and badminton, as well as faith groups and dance schools. Additionally, individuals will have the opportunity to rent the facilities for personal use.
The community will benefit from a versatile, multi-purpose area that encompasses a kitchen, dining hall, and community café equipped with Wi-Fi. This space will welcome parents and visitors for evening and weekend events, accommodating up to 300 individuals at a time.
The two-story extension will achieve Net Zero Carbon in Operation, and the building materials will be meticulously chosen to create a modern and contemporary aesthetic. The selected products will be straightforward, durable, and require low maintenance throughout the building’s lifespan.
The building will operate to high efficiency levels and U Values must be stringent with no heat loss through the façade of the building. Ashe will use a special product to coat both sides of the external walls, to provide the airtightness required for Net Zero Carbon in Operation standards. The school will be powered by photo voltaic panels installed on the roof to create as much renewable energy as possible, and air source heat pumps will generate the energy for heating.
To ensure a comfortable classroom environment, mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery units will be fitted into ceiling voids, connected to louvres in the façade for air circulation. Heat from air source heat pumps will be harnessed to warm the incoming air during colder months. Additionally, a night-time purge will expel hot air through windows in the summer, releasing any accumulated heat from the day, thus creating an optimal learning atmosphere.
The school has revised its admissions policy to accommodate the increasing student population in the area. Now, families residing within the school’s catchment area, those with a sibling already enrolled, or those attending designated primary/feeder schools will receive higher priority.
Chris Deller, head teacher at Bedford Academy, said: “We are making the most of this chance to make new sustainable facilities for our school. In preparation for predicted growth in the number of children needing a school place in our local community, we are going to provide them with lovely new, bright and clean learning spaces. The families who use our buildings outside of school time will have access to our large dining hall which will double up as a café for parents to use while they wait for their children to finish their activities.”
Bedford Academy has recently upgraded to a new 3G AstroTurf pitch, and Ashe Construction is set to build four new changing rooms, accommodating up to 180 students. This development will significantly enhance the school’s sports facilities, including changing rooms for referees.
A silent study area and office spaces for staff to work will be included and 300 student lockers will be installed.
Pick Everard is project managing the scheme, which is expected to be completed in August 2025 in time for the new school year.
Sean Conneely, Director of Project Management for Pick Everard, said: “Everyone involved with planning this project has come together to work collaboratively to take an idea to reality. Working closely with the school, Bedford Borough Council, Ashe and project consultants, we’re going to increase capacity to teach many more pupils who live in the area. The children will benefit from excellent facilities that are designed to be conducive to learning whilst being sustainable and efficient to operate. Well done to everyone in the team for making this project a reality.”
Ashe will engage in social value activities, including sponsoring the local community interest company Food etc., which offers cookery courses to families in disadvantaged areas of Bedford. In collaboration with Pick Everard, Ashe will also expose students to the various careers in the construction industry, addressing the skills shortage in the sector.
Andrew Morris, Ashe’s business development director, added: “We’re very sensitive to the needs of schools’ when we’re working in live settings so we will bring all our experience to bear on this project for Bedford Academy. We also plan to involve the whole school community in events to celebrate project milestones and will find opportunities to show the pupils, first hand, the variety of construction-related careers available to them in the future. They’ll be able to see how their new facilities develop and by inviting them to see our team at work, they can find out more about the different roles that work together to deliver outstanding projects.”
20 new car parking spaces, disabled parking and four electric vehicle spaces will be created. The school will also add 77 new cycle spaces to encourage sustainable travel to school.
The project has been procured through the SCAPE Framework.