BAM Construction has started work on three new schools in the East Midlands.

The firm appointed to the schemes by the Department for Education under its national education framework, with a combined value of around £65 million.

The three schools are Castle Mead Academy and Avanti Fields School, both in Leicester, plus Derby Cathedral School. They are being developed and delivered mainly via a 'one BAM' approach.

Derby Cathedral School is a 1200-place 6FE School with 6th form located on the industrial railway siding adjacent to the Great Northern Road. The site is set out with a bespoke new three-storey, predominantly brick-built building with a separate sports block arranged around an entrance plaza.

Internally the building develops the existing school's five-house approach. Views of the Cathedral are captured within an ecclesiastical picture window set over two floors.


Castle Mead Academy in Leicester is a 1200-place 8FE new academy, adding to the successful run of schools for the Mead Educational Trust.

Created on a brown-field site that was the former Kirby and West Dairy, the picturesque site is along the River Soar and of heritage interest, with Friars Mill on the other side of the river.

This three-storey building was developed with enhanced, vertical standing-seam panel facades to complement the river elevation. To enhance the compact site extensive landscaping was developed to give variety to the student experience.

Avanti Fields School is a new build on a green field site. This is an inclusive Hindu faith school open to students of all faiths and none, including two primary classes and 26 additional nursery places. It will have an integrated sports block.

Avanti Fields describes its culture as fostering curiosity, promoting independent thought and inspiring students to think creatively. Its curriculum allows students to follow traditional academic studies, complemented by the study of philosophy, mindfulness, meditation and yoga.

It is located on the outskirts of Leicester and bounded to the north by a residential area, to the east by Gateway College and to the south a farm.

All three schools will open in the autumn term, 2021.