Kier has secured almost £100 million of new education work after being appointed to deliver two major school redevelopment projects, including one of the Department for Education’s flagship low-carbon GenZero pathfinder schools.
The contractor has been confirmed as main works contractor for the £45 million redevelopment of Wellfield Academy in Leyland, Lancashire, alongside the £53 million replacement of the Anglo European School in Ingatestone, Essex, further strengthening its position in the UK’s education construction sector.
The Wellfield Academy project will deliver a new 6,540 sq m secondary school, designed to showcase the next generation of ultra-low carbon educational buildings through the Department for Education’s pioneering GenZero programme.
Designed by Kier Design, the new campus will comprise a three-storey teaching block connected at first-floor level to a two-storey central commons building, while retaining the existing sports hall. Construction will be carefully phased to minimise disruption, beginning with the demolition of an existing building to make way for the new commons facility before the remaining teaching accommodation is replaced.
Sustainability sits at the heart of the development, with the new school incorporating a cross-laminated timber structural frame, ground source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation and enhanced airtightness measures to significantly reduce both embodied and operational carbon emissions.
The scheme will also feature extensive landscaping, biodiversity enhancements and outdoor learning environments, creating a campus that promotes wellbeing alongside environmental performance. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2028.
Meanwhile, in Essex, Kier will deliver a £53 million replacement school for the Anglo European School following the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which led to the closure of the school’s sixth form centre in 2023.
Planning permission has already been granted for the redevelopment, which will provide a new three-storey teaching building alongside a canopy, multi-use games area, amphitheatre, car parking and extensive hard and soft landscaping.
The new school has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation while delivering significantly enhanced teaching facilities that support the school’s internationally recognised curriculum and specialist educational ethos.
For the construction and education sectors, the two projects reflect the continued investment being made in modernising the UK’s school estate through sustainable design, low-carbon construction and future-ready learning environments. The Wellfield Academy scheme, in particular, is expected to help shape future education projects by testing innovative approaches to reducing carbon emissions across both construction and long-term building operation.
Together, the two developments represent a significant addition to Kier’s education portfolio, demonstrating the growing emphasis on delivering high-quality, environmentally responsible schools that not only improve educational outcomes but also contribute to the UK’s wider net zero ambitions.
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