ASHE construction has commenced building work on a new £14.5 million primary school which is being funded by Hertfordshire County Council.

The school will be operated by the Avanti Academy Trust which also operates the Avanti Grange Secondary School and Avanti Meadows - another primary school which opened in September 2021 within the Stortford Fields development.

The new primary school, due to open in September 2023, will provide school places for 420 children living locally. The school will offer up to 30 places at Reception as well as 26 places for nursery aged children each year from September 2023. The school size will increase year on year as the school’s first pupils progress through their school life.

"We're committed to developing sustainable communities in Hertfordshire, providing residents with the infrastructure needed to make new developments great places to live - this includes providing good local schools which children can walk to," said Cllr Terry Douris, Executive Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning at Hertfordshire County Council.

"The children joining the school in September will have the unique distinction in that they'll be able to look at the school in 50 years’ time and say that was my school from day one. The school is being built with the future in mind; by prioritising environmental sustainability in construction and operation, we’re taking a big step towards building a cleaner, greener and healthier Hertfordshire."

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Environmental sustainability has been built into the fabric of the school from the outset, in line with the Hertfordshire County Council’s sustainability strategy and ambition to be carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030.

This week, those living close to the new school development site will start to see the building panels being put into place; these are Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) which help to lower carbon dioxide levels by absorbing carbon into the timber. These panels are more environmentally sustainable than traditional construction materials such as steel, concrete and masonry.

Once completed, the school will be Net Carbon Zero in operation, using only electricity for power and heating, aided by photovoltaic (solar) panels which will help to generate the electricity needed to run the school.

Andrew Morris, Business Development Director at ASHE Construction said: "We are delighted to be breaking ground on yet another Net Zero Carbon School for Hertfordshire County Council. This significant investment in sustainable infrastructure demonstrates Hertfordshire County Council's intention to address the climate emergency head on, and we are proud to be able to assist in delivering a building that is part of the solution in ensuring that there is a brighter future for the students of Avanti Brook School."

The development of the new school has also provided the opportunity to put into operation Hertfordshire County Council’s inclusive approach to providing support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Avanti Brook primary school in Bishops Stortford is the first primary school in Hertfordshire with plans for a Special Resource Provision (SRP) to be built as part of the school.

If approved by the Regional Schools Commissioner in Spring 2023, the Special Resource Provision will provide small group-based learning for 12 pupils with speech, language, communication needs and autism, who don't need a special school but need additional support so that they can access learning in a mainstream school. Support in SRPs is tailored to each individual pupil. The aim for each pupil is to help them develop their social and communication skills and confidence, so they can increase the amount of time they are able to spend in mainstream classes.