New Timber Framed St John’s CofE Academy in Wantage Completed    

Timber-Framed St John’s CE Academy Opens in Grove, Completing First All-Through School in the Area

Bouygues UK has completed construction of St John’s CE Academy in Grove, Wantage, on behalf of Cambrian Learning Trust and the Department for Education. The new secondary school will provide places for approximately 600 students aged 11 to 16.

A milestone for local education

Located alongside the existing Primary Site at the Wellington Gate development, the academy completes the first all-through education provision in the area, giving children a continuous educational journey from nursery through to Year 11.

Inside the new building

The 6,074m², two-storey school offers:

• Specialist teaching spaces
• Sports facilities and playing fields
• Multi-use games areas

Designed to sit at the heart of the growing Wellington Gate community, the academy is intended to deliver long-term educational and community benefits for local families.

Built with sustainability at its core

Sustainability shaped every stage of the design and construction process. The school’s structure uses cross-laminated timber (CLT), reducing embodied carbon while bringing natural warmth and texture into the learning environment. Off-site manufacturing and a consistent construction approach also helped minimise waste and defects on site.

Further sustainability features include:

• A green roof fitted with photovoltaic panels to support energy performance
• Grass playing fields and a multi-use games area
• Sustainable drainage systems, including attenuation, swales and porous parking areas

Designed around wellbeing

The academy reflects Bouygues UK’s approach to biophilic design, combining natural materials, daylight, ventilation and outdoor connections. Together, these features are designed to support the wellbeing of students and staff, encouraging focus, learning and a stronger connection with the natural environment.

Sarah Fedorcio, Project Director, Department for Education, said:
‘Ensuring schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our Government mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every young person the best start in life. I would like to congratulate the whole team involved in delivering St John’s CE Academy and look forward to seeing the transformative impact on students as they realise their potential in a high-quality learning environment.’

Mark Cesenek, Managing Director at Bouygues UK, said:
“Completing St John’s CE Academy is a significant achievement for everyone involved in the project. This is a school designed to provide high-quality educational facilities for around 600 students and will become an important part of the wider Grove and Wantage community.

From the use of a cross-laminated timber structure and photovoltaic panels to the integration of natural light, ventilation and landscaped outdoor spaces, sustainability and wellbeing have been central to the project. We are proud to have worked with Cambrian Learning Trust, the Department for Education, the design team and our supply chain partners to deliver a school that will support generations of young people.”

Richard Evans, Chief Executive of Cambrian Learning Trust, said:
‘The opening of St John’s CE Academy marks an incredibly exciting new chapter for the Trust. This outstanding new environment will give our young people the space and opportunities to learn, grow and flourish, while creating a strong sense of belonging from nursery through to secondary education. It embodies our vision of nurturing growth and inspiring minds, and we are proud to be providing a school where ambition, kindness, integrity and unity can shape the experiences of our students for years to come’

Rick Holroyd, Executive Headteacher, St John’s CE Academy, said
‘After three years of working in partnership with Bouygues UK and the DfE on the planning for this wonderful building, it is so very exciting to see the project reach completion ready to welcome the first cohorts of secondary students in September 2026. This site and this building will provide the state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities necessary for all students to grow, flourish and fly, in line with our vision for all at St John’s CE Academy. This is precisely the sort of school that all young people deserve and, working in close partnership with St John’s Primary Site as a genuine, all-through school, we are delighted to be able to offer our students and families across our local community such stunning facilities for lifelong learning and growth.’

Callum Jackson, Head of School, St John’s CE Adademy, said:
‘We are incredibly proud of the school community we are building and of everything our secondary phase has achieved in its first year. The opening of our dedicated Secondary Site marks an incredibly exciting next chapter. These outstanding new facilities will provide the environment our students and staff richly deserve.

It has been a pleasure to work with everyone involved throughout the project. After years of planning, collaboration and construction, we are very much looking forward to seeing the new site come to life over the coming weeks and become the home of our growing school community’