A brand-new one-form entry secondary school extension for Bedford Academy is now complete. The extension stands as a major investment for Bedford’s education and community life, with space created for 16 state-of-the-art classrooms, modern changing facilities, a dining area and community café.

The £12m purpose-built facility will provide much needed additional space to the existing school. The blend of multi-use classrooms provides flexibility with the internal layout, carefully designed for dual use by both the school and local community.

GSSArchitecture were appointed as Architect and Lead Designer by Ashe Construction Limited who procured the project through the Scape Regional Construction Framework, for the design and delivery of the project.


The Practice’s designs have a fabric-first approach to ensure that the building is sustainable, in line with Bedford Academy’s Net Zero Carbon in operation goals. The project’s success is evident in the building’s air test score, which was significantly lower than the Passive House standard. This means that the new development will be extremely energy efficient, reducing operational costs and environmental impact. This will help to ensure the school’s long-term sustainability and enable it to better serve both students and the wider community for generations to come.

The extension, with Pick Everard appointed as Project Managers through Perfect Circle, has involved several consultants. These include BCAL as the Structural Engineers and One Creative as the Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, who also provided landscape services. Twin & Earth, the Sustainability Consultant, assessed the building fabric performance and explored ways to optimise it in order to meet the project’s Net Zero Carbon goals.

Alistair Wilkinson, GSS Associate and Project Lead said, “This project is a game-changer for Bedford Academy and the wider community. We’re incredibly proud to have delivered a space that’s not only inspiring for students but truly opens its doors to everyone. From cutting-edge classrooms to a welcoming community café, every detail has been designed with flexibility, sustainability, and ambition in mind. It has been a real privilege to work with the design team but especially with the school itself and the team at Bedford Academy headed by Chris Deller. They have shown such enthusiasm and interest in the project from inception through to completion.

It’s a bold step forward for education and for Bedford.”

Andrew Morris, Ashe’s Business Development Director said: “We’re extremely proud of this project which has seen several ground-breaking initiatives take place showing that construction projects can be a force for good. Whether in terms of sustainability, diversity, innovation or community engagement, we have surpassed our targets at Bedford Academy, and we really look forward to seeing the children flourish in their new school building.”

Commenting on the success of the project, Cllr Jane Walker, Portfolio Holder for Valuing Families: Children’s Services, said: “This new teaching block is a fantastic investment in the future of young people in Bedford Borough. Not only does it provide high-quality classrooms and facilities to support the school’s growth, but it has been delivered to the highest sustainability standards.

“I’m delighted that the project has also created opportunities for pupils to learn about careers in construction and for the wider community to benefit from new spaces. This extension shows what can be achieved through strong partnership working and will make a real difference for generations of students to come.”

We have extensive experience in the Education sector, including for mixed use school and community hub spaces, such as the Elverby Primary School and Community Hub project, part of the MK East Sustainable Urban Expansion (SUE) in Milton Keynes, also delivered with Ashe.