Salisbury pupils to benefit from £14.6m expansion at Sarum Academy

Hundreds more Salisbury pupils will benefit from additional classrooms, improved facilities and enhanced sports facilities following a major £14.6m investment by Wiltshire Council.

The council has been granted planning permission for a significant expansion programme at Sarum Academy that will increase capacity by 300 places and help meet growing demand for secondary school places in the city.

The multi-phase project will include:

• Refurbishment of part of the existing teaching block
• Construction of a new two-storey, net zero science block
• A new artificial sports pitch
• Conversion of an existing building for sports and physical education use
• Reconfiguration of teaching spaces to support an eight-form entry school, including additional art and music classrooms

Once complete, the development will provide a modern learning environment helping more young people attend school locally alongside their peers.

Wiltshire Council works closely with schools to plan for future demand and ensure there are sufficient local school places. The expansion at Sarum Academy will help meet the needs of Salisbury's growing population and provide additional high-quality secondary school places for local families.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said: “Wiltshire Council is committed to investing in the education of our young people. We carefully plan for future demand so that we can provide as many local school places as possible.

"It is important that young people can attend school in their local community and benefit from excellent facilities that support their learning, wellbeing and future aspirations."

Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed to deliver the project and will work closely with the school, staff and local community to minimise disruption throughout construction.

Cliff Kinch, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the South, said: “The expansion of Sarum Academy is a really exciting project, as we know that it’s going to help futureproof Salisbury’s educational landscape by creating hundreds of new secondary school places. It’ll also be looking after the local community’s future generations in more ways than one, as its net zero design will provide a sustainable, high-end teaching environment for years to come.”

Supporting Wiltshire Council's Environmental Policy objectives has been a key consideration throughout the design process. The new science block is being designed to operate at net zero carbon, while detailed sustainability assessments have helped identify opportunities to reduce energy demand, improve efficiency and minimise the environmental impact of the development.

To maximise social value, Wiltshire Council and Morgan Sindall Construction have developed a Social Value and Sustainability Charter for the project. This includes activities linked to the school's curriculum, engagement with pupils through assemblies, a viewing window in the site hoarding so pupils can follow the project's progress, and opportunities to create employment, training and skills development for local people.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.