Morgan Sindall completes new Canterbury primary school
Morgan Sindall Construction has finished building work at Pilgrims’ Way Primary School in Canterbury and handed the educational facility over to Veritas Multi Academy Trust, ready for the new school term in September.
Morgan Sindall was selected by the Department for Education (DfE) through its construction framework to replace the school’s existing facilities with a brand-new and highly sustainable site. This saw the tier one contractor demolish the existing 1970s-era building and construct a two-form entry primary school.
With a capacity of 420 pupils, the new school will significantly enhance the educational provision in the local community thanks to the creation of a new hall, classroom spaces, kitchen, and a multi-use games area (MUGA). The existing nursery has also been connected to the new facility.
As construction took place alongside a live school environment, Morgan Sindall had to carefully plan building work so as not to affect the school’s day-to-day operations.
Aligning with the DfE’s net zero carbon objectives was a central aspect of the development, with sustainable design and construction processes implemented throughout. This included air source heat pumps installed to make the site energy efficient and gas-free as well as adding photovoltaic (PV) panels to the roof. A fabric first approach to air tightness and insulation was adopted, with high-spec windows and doors installed to ensure a high U-value rating.
The digital carbon calculation tool CarboniCa was utilised to measure whole life carbon emissions, ensuring potential carbon outputs were 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:
The whole team is really proud of this project, especially as our Canterbury office is just down the road from Pilgrims’ Way Primary School so we know how essential it is for the local community and the transformative impact the new facilities are going to have for the area.
Combining our understanding of Canterbury alongside a collaborative relationship with the DfE and Veritas Multi Academy Trust has really enabled us to factor the needs of the school’s teachers, young pupils and their parents into the design and construction of this site. We can’t wait to see the doors open on this new high-end and sustainable educational environment later in the year.”
Dr Kerry Jordan-Daus, CEO of the Veritas Mult Academy Trust, said:
We are delighted with our new school and all the potential it offers for our children, our families and our community; where children can belong, believe and achieve. The partnership with Morgan Sindall and all our colleagues from the DfE have enabled us to work together on the shared vision and goal of building a school for the future.”
ENDS