Topping Out Ceremony Celebrates Key Milestone
Marleigh Primary Academy has reached the highest point in its construction as the roof is completed. This significant step for our school was celebrated with a traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony led by Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, the multi-academy trust which Marleigh Primary Academy is a member of. Guests watched as Mike Fish, newly appointed as Headteacher, Stuart Wood, Chair of Governors, and Councillor Maria King, Vice Chair of Cambridge County Council’s Children and Young People Committee, joined Jonathan Culpin as the last roof sheet was sealed.
Mike Fish who will be in place as Headteacher from the beginning of the Summer term said: “It is a privilege to be able to physically see our impressive school and visualise how this building and the extensive grounds will be used to create excellence in all aspects of the academy’s environment and provision.”
Mike continued: “I look forward to welcoming children and the local community to the school and our nursery from September 2022. Our specialist STEM room and our Library Learning Centre will facilitate the use of immersive technology, and along with our broad and balanced curriculum, the children will have opportunities and plenty of experiences for educational success.”
Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning said: “It is wonderful to be able to see the progress of the building of the school since our groundbreaking event last summer. To envision how our plans for a flexible approach to learning for the 21st Century will be fulfilled is extremely exciting. With the inspiration and empowerment of expert practitioners, this academy will be recognised locally and nationally as a system leader.”
Councillor Maria King said: ”The new school and nursery complex looks spacious, airy and wonderfully generous with opportunities for children to learn, interact and develop, both inside and outside. It was a privilege to see the site taking shape and we are looking forward to welcoming a new member to the Cambridgeshire school family in September.”
Gareth Harris, Morgan Sindall Construction Project Manager, said: “It was a delight to showcase the incredible progress that has been made at the new Marleigh Primary Academy and to celebrate the topping out ceremony with so many of the project’s key stakeholders. It has been a privilege to work closely with Cambridgeshire County Council in delivering this first-class specialist school and we cannot wait for the pupils to see the final development.
“We know that facilities such as Marleigh Primary Academy are important local hubs for the surrounding community and it’s always very rewarding on days like this to see what the new site means for the people living, working and learning in the area. At Morgan Sindall Construction, we invest heavily in the local communities that we operate within, in order to generate as much social value as possible throughout the project’s lifecycle.”
The new primary school and nursery will be at the heart of the Marleigh neighbourhood. Marleigh Primary Academy will have capacity for up to 420 primary and 52 nursery aged children. The school will have a particular teaching focus on STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – reflecting Cambridge’s excellence in these areas. For children aged 3 years old upwards, the nursery will provide a place where they can explore and develop their understanding.
Attendees from Anglian Learning, Cambridgeshire County Council, Atkins Global and Morgan Sindall
