Construction is underway at Mildenhall College Academy to deliver new facilities for pupils, with a groundbreaking event marking the start of works. The project team and school representatives came together on site to celebrate this milestone.

Suffolk County Council is working in partnership with design and property consultants Concertus and contractor Pentaco Construction to deliver the scheme. Good progress has already been made, including the creation of a temporary car park and alterations to the existing school, enabling works to progress safely and efficiently while minimising disruption to staff and students. The site is now fully established, with foundation works well underway.

A spokesperson for Suffolk County Council said: We are pleased to be working alongside Concertus and Pentaco to deliver additional classroom space at Mildenhall College Academy and are grateful to school colleagues, West Suffolk Council and wider tenants and users of the hub for supporting the school expansion.”

The expansion will provide seven additional classrooms, along with new toilet facilities, dining area, and office spaces on each floor. The design has been carefully developed to integrate seamlessly with the existing school. Thermal and daylight modelling have also been used to support a sustainable design approach, helping to create a high-quality learning environment for both new and existing spaces.

Laura Morris De’ath, Associate for Design at Concertus, said: “It’s great to be back on site at Mildenhall Hub to mark this important milestone in the expansion of Mildenhall College Academy. The project forms part of the original masterplan, delivering high-quality accommodation to support the Academy in providing excellent learning opportunities for its students.”

Jamie Silverton Webb, Contracts Manager at Pentaco Construction said: “A fantastic milestone reached at Mildenhall as we officially marked the start of works with a groundbreaking ceremony for the new school extension. It was great to welcome representatives from the client team along with teachers and staff to site to celebrate the beginning of this exciting project. With works now underway, we look forward to delivering a high-quality new learning environment that will benefit both students and staff for years to come.”

Part of the Academy Transformation Trust, Mildenhall College Academy is a sixth-form secondary school that relocated to the purpose-built Mildenhall Hub in May 2021. The current expansion is due to complete in spring 2027.