Expanding school provision across Suffolk has been a focus in March, and what a month it was. We broke ground on a new high school expansion in Stowmarket, topped out on a new pre-school in Melton, and celebrated the completion of new SEND and library facilities in Ipswich. We also completed a new sports hall in Bedfordshire, invested time in the future construction and design professionals and much more. We hope you enjoy reading this month’s round up.

New SEND unit opens at Ipswich Academy
An official opening ceremony was held, attended by all key partners and stakeholders, to celebrate the new Specialist Educational and Disability Unit at Ipswich Academy.

Delivered with Suffolk County Council, Paradigm Trust, and SEH French, the new single‑storey building includes two classrooms with storage and adjustable‑height sinks, two group rooms, a WC, an accessible WC, and a secluded external recreational space designed specifically to support pupils’ learning and wellbeing.

The school have been gradually welcoming students since earlier this year, providing a purpose‑designed environment to support pupils with additional needs. Read more here.

Groundbreaking Commemorates the Start of Works to Expand High School
Work to expand Stowmarket High School, part of the Kingfisher Schools Trust, is now officially underway.

We were pleased to mark this milestone with a groundbreaking event alongside our project partners, Suffolk County Council, Babergh and Mid Suffolk Council, and Barnes Construction.

The expansion will deliver a new, purpose‑built two‑storey teaching block, increasing the school’s capacity from 900 to 1,200 students and supporting long‑term demand for high‑quality education in the area. The building will provide 11 classrooms, a group room, a new hall, and new toilet facilities, enhancing the school’s ability to offer modern, flexible learning environments. Alongside the new block, the project also includes a series of internal upgrades across the existing school estate. Read more here.

Melton Primary School Expansion Hits Key Milestone
A topping-out event was held to celebrate progress on the new early years building at Melton Primary School in Woodbridge.

The new state-of-the-art nursery, funded through East Suffolk Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and delivered in partnership with Suffolk County Council and Seamans Building, will provide places for up to 30 children, offering a warm, nurturing environment that enhances and expands the school’s existing early years provision.

Designed to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, the purpose-built facility features buff brick materials, a single-storey scale consistent with the existing school buildings, and a contemporary architectural style. Read more here.

Celebrations as University’s New Student Library is Officially Open
The official opening of the new library space in the Waterfront Building at the University of Suffolk took place with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

In partnership with Barnes Construction, we delivered a comprehensive turnkey solution. This involved extensive refurbishment work, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering, architecture, and interior design, which included a complete furniture fit-out with brand-new shelving designed specifically for the University of Suffolk’s collections.

This refurbishment injected new energy into the environment with vibrant accent walls, zoned floor finishes, and a carefully curated colour palette that is integrated into the furniture, creating a welcoming and inspiring space for study, collaboration, and learning. Read more here.

Watch the event here.

Hoarding Competition Brightens School Site in Lakenheath
Created by the school’s talented students as part of their “What makes our school amazing?” competition, the new hoarding artwork at Lakenheath Primary School has been unveiled. Not only did the winners get to see their art displayed, but they also got to have a sneak peek at their new school under construction.

Working with Pentaco Construction for Suffolk County Council on their first net‑zero‑in‑operation primary school, it’s fantastic to see the pupils’ creativity bringing the project to life. Their artwork now brightens the construction site and serves as a great reminder of who this new school is ultimately for.

Thank you to all the young artists for their inspiring contributions and for giving our team even more motivation as we continue delivering this exciting new learning environment for the Lakenheath community.

New Sports Hall at Edward Peake School Reaches Completion
The new sports hall at Edward Peake CofE School is now complete. Local councillors, project partners and the members of the school attended a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the delivery of the new spaces.

Delivered alongside Barnes Construction and Hoggarth Cooke Knight for Central Bedfordshire Council, the new facility provides modern, high-quality spaces to support sport and physical education.

The sports hall includes three badminton courts, a full basketball court, cricket nets, and an upper-level studio for activities such as dance, aerobics, and yoga. The new floodlit MUGA, which includes a full-size football pitch, opened last year. It’s great to see the facilities already being enjoyed by students. Read more here.

Meet our Team – Sam Shepherd, Principal Building Surveyor
Now established within his role, Sam Shepherd joined us at the end of 2025 and has quickly become a valued member of the Concertus team as Principal Building Surveyor.

Joining us from South Yorkshire Police, Sam brings over six years of experience delivering highly specialist projects, including state‑of‑the‑art firearms training Target Turning systems, Public Order training facilities, Modular Taser training scenario spaces and other high‑security installations. His expertise continues to strengthen the blue light capability across our growing team.

With 11 years’ experience across both the public and private sectors, Sam is now supporting clients across our Ipswich and Matlock offices, while also sharing his knowledge and mentoring junior colleagues within the surveying team. Read more here.

Celebrating Our Colleagues’ Achievements
Matthew Shirley, Associate for Building Services, and Andy Tann, Principal Electrical Engineer, successfully retook their Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations (BS 7671) following the latest amendment.

Both Matthew and Andy began their careers together as apprentices in 1998 at Derbyshire County Council, and it’s fantastic to see them continuing to build on that strong foundation nearly three decades later. This City & Guilds 18th Edition course, completed over a 3‑day programme, provides essential knowledge of the current wiring regulations and ensures our team continues to work to the highest standards of safety, compliance and technical excellence.

Congratulations to Matthew and Andy on this great achievement and for continuing to strengthen our in‑house electrical expertise.

Woodbridge School’s Career Event 2026
Our Associate Director, Natalie Finnigan, proudly represented both Concertus and The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) at Woodbridge School’s Careers Event.

Through her work with the CIOB, Natalie also helped raise awareness of the organisation’s role in supporting aspiring construction professionals and promoting excellence across the sector. Thank you to Woodbridge School for hosting such an engaging event and for allowing us to inspire the next generation.

Natalie met with students throughout the day, sharing insights into the diverse career pathways within the built environment and highlighting the importance of professional development within the construction industry.

Celebrating Women in Construction & National Careers Week
During March, we were proud to spotlight two of our Associates as we focused on Women in Construction, sharing their insights, journeys, and advice for the next generation during the National Careers Week.

Laura Morris De’ath, Associate for Design, reflects on the advice she would give to her younger self: embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. Laura highlights that growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone and being willing to try, fail, and try again.

Karen Settle, Associate for Energy & Sustainability, speaks about her determination to become chartered, a milestone she achieved in 2011 and describes as a defining moment in her career. Karen credits perseverance and resilience for helping her reach her goals, and she now encourages young engineers to pursue professional development with confidence and curiosity.

By sharing their stories, Laura and Karen continue to inspire others and demonstrate the impact of women leading and shaping the future of our industry. Watch here.

ArchiCAD Workshop at Suffolk New College
Our team hosted a workshop for students at Suffolk New College, introducing them to ArchiCAD and key CAD principles that support real world design decision making.

Sessions like this are a fantastic opportunity for students to see how digital tools shape the buildings around us and to learn directly from professionals who use them every day. A big thank you to our team for giving their time and expertise to help inspire future talent in our industry.