Member Article

New chapter for Canterbury's Pilgrims' Way Primary School

Pupils at Pilgrims’ Way Primary School in Canterbury are set to benefit from a brand-new and highly sustainable school after planning permission was granted in October for a project to replace the existing facilities.

Morgan Sindall Construction were selected by the Department for Education (DfE) in February 2023 to develop plans for the replacement of time expired buildings at the school. The scheme comprises the construction of a new two-form entry primary school and demolition of the existing 1970s-era building to enhance the educational provision in the local community.

The school is operated by Veritas Multi Academy Trust and will have capacity for 420 pupils.

This project marks the first appointment for Morgan Sindall’s Southern Home Counties business under the latest iteration of the DfE’s construction framework.

The scheme will see the creation of a new hall, classroom spaces, kitchen, and a multi-use games area (MUGA). The existing nursery will remain on site and be connected to the new infrastructure.

As construction will take place alongside a live school environment, Morgan Sindall will carefully plan building work so as not to affect the school’s day-to-day operations. The new building will be ready for occupation in September 2025.

The new school buildings will embrace the DfE’s objectives toward net zero carbon. This will be achieved through sustainable design and construction processes, including energy efficiency and less reliance on gas by using air source heat pump (ASHP) technology. The roof will be covered in photovoltaic (PV) panels and a fabric first approach to air tightness and insulation will be adopted via the use of high-spec windows and doors to ensure a high U-Value rating.

CarboniCa, Morgan Sindall’s in-house digital carbon reduction tool, will also be used to measure whole life carbon emissions, ensuring potential carbon outputs are managed and reduced during the design, construction and operation of the building.

Guy Hannell, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Southern Home Counties, said: “With our Canterbury office just down the road from Pilgrims’ Way Primary School, we’re aware of the vital work this school does and the impact the development is going to have for the city’s young pupils and families. Our understanding of the area, its challenges, opportunities, and requirements, has helped guide this project, ensuring the school is tailored to the needs of the community.

“We’re looking forward to getting started in delivering a high-end, sustainable educational environment which will benefit from our extensive experience in the sector and our collaborative partnership with the Department for Education.”

Dr Kerry Jordan-Daus, CEO of Veritas Multi Academy Trust, said: “This is a very exciting project for the school and the community. The new buildings will enable us all to continue to provide irresistible learning for all but also spaces for the wider community to use. We are really looking forward to seeing the building project getting underway.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Robson .