Morgan Sindall Construction celebrates milestone at Marleigh Primary Academy

Morgan Sindall Construction has celebrated a topping out ceremony at the site of the brand new £9.7 million Marleigh Primary Academy on Newmarket Road, Cambridge.

The project will create 420 new primary school places and 52 nursery places for the Marleigh residential development in Cambridge. The academy is being delivered for Cambridgeshire County Council and will be managed by The Anglian Learning Trust.

Morgan Sindall Construction’s Cambridge team attended the event alongside the CEO of The Anglian Trust, Jonathan Culpin; Marleigh Primary Academy’s headteacher, Mike Fish; Chair of Governors, Stuart Wood; and the Vice Chair of Cambridge County Council’s Children and Young People Committee, Councillor Maria King.

Once open, the school will be a dedicated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) specialist school, with ambitions to become a nationally recognised centre of excellence.

Set across two floors, the two-form entry school will boast 16 contemporary and thoughtfully designed classrooms, as well as a library, dining area and bathroom facilities, helping to provide an inspiring atmosphere for children embarking on their school careers.

The school’s landscaped grounds will feature playing fields and a multi-use sports pitch for physical education and break time, as well as allotments and a pond. The development will include the creation of new access routes for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, and a car park.

Gareth Harris, Morgan Sindall Construction’s project manager, said: "It was a delight to showcase the incredible progress that has been made at the new Marleigh Primary Academy and to celebrate the topping out ceremony with so many of the project’s key stakeholders. It has been a privilege to work closely with Cambridgeshire County Council in delivering this first-class specialist school and we cannot wait for the pupils to see the final development.

“We know that facilities such as Marleigh Primary Academy are important local hubs for the surrounding community and it’s always very rewarding on days like this to see what the new site means for the people living, working and learning in the area. At Morgan Sindall Construction, we invest heavily in the local communities that we operate within, in order to generate as much social value as possible throughout the project’s lifecycle.”

Mike Fish, Headteacher of Marleigh Primary Academy, said: “It is a privilege to be able to physically see our impressive school and visualise how this building and the extensive grounds will be used to create excellence in all aspects of the academy’s environment and provision.”

“I look forward to welcoming children and the local community to the school and our nursery from September 2022. Our specialist STEM room and our Library Learning Centre will facilitate the use of immersive technology, and along with our broad and balanced curriculum, the children will have opportunities and plenty of experiences for educational success.”

Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, said: “It is wonderful to be able to see the progress of the building of the school since our groundbreaking event last summer. To envision how our plans for a flexible approach to learning for the 21st Century will be fulfilled is extremely exciting. With the inspiration and empowerment of expert practitioners, this academy will be recognised locally and nationally as a system leader.”

The Marleigh development in Cambridge will comprise of up to 12,000 new homes, and will form a sustainable new urban quarter for people across the city, with Marleigh Primary Academy playing a key role in providing an essential education offering for families.

• For more information about this news release please contact Sarah Boyle at Influential on 07938 487894 or email [email protected]