Construction underway on new sports facilities at Biggleswade school
Friday, 13 December 2024
Work has begun on a new sports hall and multi-use games area (MUGA) at Edward Peake CofE School, which will enhance physical education opportunities for students.
The works are part of our ongoing investment in the Biggleswade area as part of the Three to Two Tier Programme, which saw the school transform from a middle school to a secondary school in September 2024.
The new sports hall will provide modern facilities with space for three badminton courts, a full basketball court and cricket nets, while an upper level will accommodate activities such as dance, aerobics, and yoga. Additionally, the new MUGA will feature a full-size football pitch with floodlighting, enhancing outdoor sporting opportunities for students.
The project is being completed in phases and temporary facilities were provided over the summer to accommodate students during the initial stages, and the steel frame for the sports hall is now being erected, with completion scheduled for autumn 2025, while the MUGA is expected to be ready by January 2025.
Councillor Steve Owen, Executive Member for Children's Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, visited Edward Peake School and met with Headteacher Zoe Linington and the project team to take a closer look at the construction of the new sports hall. Councillor Owen said:
This exciting project at Edward Peake CofE School is a key part of our £32million investment across the Biggleswade area to support the transition from the three-tier to the two-tier education model and inspire and support the next generation of learners. As modern, flexible spaces that are essential for delivering a comprehensive secondary education, the new sports hall and MUGA will provide outstanding facilities to enhance the learning experience for all students, fostering both academic and personal development.
Edward Peake School Headteacher, Zoe Linington, said:
I can't wait to see our students and community using our new facilities. It has been wonderful to see our Year 9 pupils making full use of the (temporary) art and design technology facilities. It will be very exciting when it is completed.
In addition to the sporting facilities, internal remodelling and refurbishment of the existing sports hall will be carried out between April 2025 and October 2025 and will create six classrooms, for improved art and design-technology provision, plus a computer suite.
Also, internal remodelling will create an enlarged classroom and a small hall, which will be multi-use so that pupils can use it for breakout groups, lunch, studying, presentation space and smaller assemblies.