The proposals for the first primary school at the development of the former barracks at Waterbeach have been announced by Cambridgeshire County Council. The new school is proposed to be called Deneia Primary Academy, to reflect the history of the area, and will be a part of Anglian Learning, a multi academy trust based in East Anglia covering Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk.
The school will be built as part of Urban&Civic’s Waterbeach development and, subject to successful final planning permission, will offer education for children from age four through to eleven. The Primary Academy will open from September 2024.
Anglian Learning has been working with Urban&Civic, Van Heyningen & Haward Architects, Cambridgeshire County Council and the constructors of the school, RG Carter, throughout the design stages. The new 630 place, 3 form entry academy will have extensive grounds and will be an environmentally friendly building. The school will be built as a nearly net zero energy building and whole life carbon emissions are minimised within the proposals. These designs will produce a building and grounds that are resilient in the face of climate change.
Provision for each year group at the school will be created using linked classrooms and shared breakout spaces to facilitate flexible and creative approaches to learning. The academy has additional facilities to provide bespoke provision for children with special educational needs.
The school has also been carefully designed into the wider development by providing nearby woodland play areas and a car free zone, so the children can walk, cycle and scoot safely to school. It will also have a shared public square in front of the school for parents to meet and the community to come together.
Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, said:
“We are delighted to be the sponsors for this new primary school. As a Trust our vision is for dynamic, empowered learners who will thrive and lead within their community. The Primary Academy will be built with an outstanding setting and learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, and this will enthuse the children in their learning and deliver on our ambition.”
Rachael Johnston, Executive Headteacher for the Primary Academy, said:
“I am thrilled to be leading the establishment of this new school for Anglian Learning. The eco-credentials of the school build with sustainable and reusable materials, will significantly influence our curriculum. For example, the extensive grounds, including mature woodland, pond and wildlife area will provide the opportunity for outdoor learning through our Forest School whilst the orchard, with heritage fruit trees, will provide pupils with the experience of growing their own food and will be incorporated in lessons on cookery and nutrition.
“As an Anglian Learning school, there will be a strong focus on the arts, due to the formal Memorandum of Understanding that the Trust has with Arts Council England and our commitment to embed arts and culture within all of our academies.”
Caroline Foster, Project Director at Urban&Civic, said:
“This is a significant milestone for the development, and we are really pleased to be working with an Academy Trust that shares our vision for the community. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the County Council and Anglian Learning on the delivery of Waterbeach’s first primary school in an inspirational woodland setting.”
The Primary Academy will be the sixteenth school to join Anglian Learning. Formed in 2016, the Trust spans education from early years through to Year 13 with nine primary schools, six secondary schools including two sixth forms.
The new school will have a Local Governing Body, comprising members of Anglian Learning, the local community and parents.
The school will be at the heart of the community at Waterbeach New Town, a thriving, diverse community in a sustainable and well-connected location in Cambridgeshire. The development will be delivered in phases with each phase containing the facilities, amenities and services the new community needs – from homes and schools through to green space, play areas, sports facilities, shops, eateries and community spaces, all connected by an extensive network of footpaths and cycleways.
To find out more about the Primary Academy and to register an interest in places at the school, please contact enquiries@anglianlearning.org
This is a significant milestone for the development, and we are really pleased to be working with an Academy Trust that shares our vision for the community.
