Visit to New Bedford Academy Building

We are looking forward to this visit to a new £12m project for Bedford Borough Council – a state-of-the-art, Net Zero Carbon in Operation, teaching facility designed to support the growth of Bedford Academy (UK) and deliver lasting educational and community value through sustainable construction and inclusive design.

Thank you to our hosts Pick Everard and Ashe Group who have facilitated this visit.

Commissioned to help the Academy expand to 1,800 pupils by 2029, the 2-storey NZCiO Classroom Block offers 16 classrooms, changing facilities for 180 students, a dining area and community café, silent study zones, staff offices, and extensive landscaping. It also includes 300 lockers, 20 parking spaces (including disabled bays), four EV charging points, and 77 cycle spaces – supporting both functionality and sustainability.

Community Impact and Diversity: To promote diversity, the project team thoughtfully allocated staff, engaged with local communities and schools and welcomed student visits to meet diverse role models. Inclusive features within the site set up – such as women-only toilets, prayer spaces, and accessibility ramps – were introduced to foster belonging and challenge stereotypes, helping attract more women and underrepresented groups to construction.