Great start made at Peterborough’s Great Haddon Primary School

Morgan Sindall Construction’s Cambridgeshire business has broken ground at a brand-new primary school in Peterborough.

The Great Haddon Primary School will create a two-storey, two form-entry facility on a new housing development south of Peterborough. Scheduled to complete in late 2026, ready for use in early 2027, the 420-place school will meet a growing need for nursery and primary-years educational provision in the local area.

The tier one contractor was appointed alongside architecture practice, Lungfish Architects by Peterborough City Council and the project was procured via the SCAPE Construction Framework, a Gold Standard accredited framework designed to drive collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings on construction projects.

The main school will accommodate 12 classrooms across two floors, connected by two staircases and a platform lift. Three-metre-wide ‘learning streets’ on both floors will enhance educational opportunities with access to libraries, one-to-one teaching zones, and small group learning areas. The southern end of the building will house the school hall, kitchen, and related spaces.

A single-storey Early Years section will comprise of two nursery and two reception classrooms with associated facilities and an outside play area. The entrance to the teaching block will distinguish between the Early Years section and the main school.

Externally, a 9 x 9 football pitch, which will double as an athletics track in summer months, will be created alongside a multi-use games area (MUGA).

Sustainability has been a central aspect of the project and the Morgan Sindall team has utilised the digital carbon calculation tool CarboniCa to inform the school’s design. This will include installing photovoltaic panels (PVs) to generate the school’s energy requirements.

Another key sustainability target for the school is that its construction and operation generate a 12% biodiversity net gain. An attenuation pond will be created on the site with plants, wetland grasses, trees, and raised beds designed to encourage local wildlife to thrive. This pond and a nearby rain garden will have the added benefits of providing a green, pleasant space as well as educational opportunities for the school’s pupils.

Jamie Shearman, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Cambridgeshire, said:

The start of construction at Great Haddon’s new primary school marks an important milestone in the local area’s development. Schools are at the heart of communities - and in such a fast-growing area as this, it is imperative educational facilities are created that can match the local scale and demand with high-quality learning environments.

We’re looking forward to closely collaborating with Peterborough City Council as this project moves forward. Once complete, we know that The Great Haddon Primary School will provide many generations to come with a space that’s tailored to their requirements in a sustainable, considered manner.”

Councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services at Peterborough City Council, said:

I am absolutely delighted to see construction under way at Great Haddon Primary School. The school will be a huge asset for the township as it grows and will also benefit Peterborough as a whole, for years to come.

Peterborough is one of the country’s fastest growing cities and we are fully committed to ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place to meet the demands of a growing population which will need additional school places.”

Mark Robinson, Group Chief Executive at SCAPE Group, said:

We are very proud to be working on such an important project - one that not only delivers much-needed school places for Peterborough, but also ensures value for money through its energy-efficient and sustainable design.

Our architecture practice, Lungfish Architects, has embedded sustainability throughout the technical design to create a pupil-centric building that will operate at net-zero carbon and incorporate low carbon materials. The design also focusses on natural ventilation and maximising daylight where possible.

The project is being delivered through our SCAPE Construction Framework, enabling the Council to benefit from early contractor engagement and expert support to ensure time and cost efficiencies throughout delivery.”

Dr Helen Price, Executive Headteacher for the Hampton Academies Trust, said:

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Peterborough City Council to provide the first primary school and nursery on the Great Haddon development. We look forward to engaging with local families and children and establishing the new school over the coming years.

We are excited by the plans for the building: the state-of-the-art facilities mean we will be well placed to provide a great education, in a school where every child is supported to do their best and is well cared for.”