Schools & Education · Chippenham
Construction ramps up on £10 million expansion at Chippenham's Abbeyfield School
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Work is progressing on a major expansion of Abbeyfield School in Chippenham, which aims to provide new facilities and space for an additional 450 pupils.
A multi-million-pound expansion at Abbeyfield School in Chippenham has reached a key milestone as construction on a new sixth-form teaching facility accelerates. A turf-cutting ceremony was recently held at the site to mark the commencement of the next phase of the project, which represents a £9.5 million investment by Wiltshire Council.
The expansion is designed to accommodate the town's rising population, with the finished project set to provide space for an additional 450 pupils and 39 staff members. Currently, the school caters to 900 pupils aged 11 to 16, as well as 171 post-16 students.
The development is being delivered in three phases. The first phase, which got underway in August, is scheduled to provide capacity for up to 150 additional pupils by September 2027. This initial stage includes the construction of a new hall, a performance space, a post-16 learning area, five classrooms and new toilet facilities.
Subsequent phases of the work will follow depending on the pace of housing growth in the Chippenham area. Once fully complete, the school will benefit from a comprehensive two-storey facility featuring science laboratories, art rooms, and design and technology classrooms. Improvements to the site will also include additional parking and a new covered cycle store. The school has confirmed that a package of off-site infrastructure improvements is also planned to support safe travel to and from the site.
Beyond the classroom space, the project aims to integrate with the local community through collaboration with the main contractor, Morgan Sindall. Headteacher Nick Norgrove highlighted that the partnership is offering students opportunities including a careers-based enterprise project, gardening club support, and STEM challenges.
Councillor Jon Hubbard, cabinet member for education at Wiltshire Council, said the investment was vital for ensuring that local young people have access to high-quality facilities as the town continues to grow. Robert Williams, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Wales, noted that the project has reached a point where it is possible to look ahead to when the building will welcome its first cohort of students.
Source: Wiltshire Times — Chippenham · View original