Morgan Sindall cuts first turf on Abbeyfield School sixth form building in Chippenham

Morgan Sindall Construction has held a turf-cutting ceremony at Abbeyfield School in Chippenham to mark the start of construction of a new sixth form building, the first of three phases planned for the site.

The contractor said the ceremony, attended by local dignitaries and council members, followed its start on site in August. Wiltshire Council appointed Morgan Sindall as main contractor after procurement through the Pagabo Medium Works Framework.

Completion of the first phase is targeted for September 2027. In its August start-on-site announcement, Morgan Sindall said it expected the project to take 55 weeks.

Robert Williams, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: "The new building will allow the school to grow and offer a more comprehensive Sixth Form experience to students wanting to go into further education."

The building

The sixth form block is being built on a site next to the existing school. According to Morgan Sindall, it will contain four classrooms and teaching spaces, a main hall with auditorium seating and social rooms for further education students.

It will also have a sixth form study room, 20 toilets, two of them accessible, a staff room and two changing rooms.

Planning approval was secured in March 2026. Morgan Sindall said the scheme would allow Abbeyfield School to separate its sixth form and secondary facilities, and that the three phases together would increase the student body by up to 450 pupils.

Site works

Morgan Sindall's August release set out the external works that accompany the first phase. These include 46 car parking bays, four of them for electric vehicles, and a small bridge over a drainage ditch linking the new site with the existing school. Pagabo said a separate road entrance to the new site would be created on Stanley Lane.

The contractor said it would build sustainable drainage systems and water attenuation crates to retain rainwater and reduce flood risk, and that topsoil was being kept on site for reuse in landscaping.

Electrical and mechanical plant rooms are being futureproofed so that the later phases can proceed, Morgan Sindall said.

Procurement and social value

David Llewellyn, construction and infrastructure director at Pagabo, said the Medium Works Framework, which Pagabo manages, allowed Wiltshire Council to appoint an experienced contractor in Morgan Sindall quickly.

Morgan Sindall said it was working with Wiltshire Council's Community Learning and Skills Service to create work experience opportunities during the build.

Nick Norgrove, headteacher of Abbeyfield School, said pupils would benefit while construction was under way through a careers-based enterprise project, development of the school gardening club, sixth form science, technology, English and maths challenges, work experience and interview support.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, cabinet member for education at Wiltshire Council, said: "This investment will help ensure that, as Chippenham continues to grow, local children and young people have access to high-quality facilities where they can learn, develop and succeed."

The first students are expected to use the building from September 2027.