Brand new £8.8m school in Milton Keynes welcomes guests to view construction site this March

    The public is being invited to catch a glimpse of the live construction of a brand new Milton Keynes school next month.

    Schools, universities and educational institutions are being welcomed by national contractor Willmott Dixon for an exclusive glimpse of the live construction site at Watling Primary School and Nursery in Milton Keynes as part of Open Doors week between 13-18 March.

    Work began on the new £8.8m sustainable school last year and is due to be finished later this year to welcome its first cohort of children.

    The school will provide 630 primary school and 39 nursery places to support a growing local population in the heart of the Western Expansion Area of Milton Keynes.

    Watling School is one of several Willmott Dixon sites that will be involved in the national initiative led by Build UK, an annual event that aims to showcase the exciting world of construction and the many opportunities within it for people to enjoy a rewarding career.

    It allows thousands of people to go behind the barriers and learn how the building project in their community is being constructed, as well as meet those responsible for it.

    Last year, Willmott Dixon was declared the UK’s ‘best big company to work for’ at the Best Companies awards, with chief executive Rick Willmott recognised as ‘best leader’ in a special Best Companies award.

    Michelle Cotterill, director, at Willmott Dixon, said: “We want to bring construction to a whole new generation of people to show what a fantastic career you can have making a real different to so many people’s lives.

    “Watling Primary School and Nursery is a great example of a modern school built with achievable sustainability elements. It will also be modern in its approach to education, as it is one that will offer learning opportunities for local children that focus on outdoor learning, play and a STEM rich curriculum.”

    “We’re very proud to be offering our hard hats to more people this year to talk to those interested in a career in construction as well as those who are curious about the developments reshaping their area.

    “The construction industry is experiencing a skills shortage and the implications of this are forecasted to continue for some time. It is therefore especially important to highlight the variety of roles available in the industry, from building management, project management, surveying and estimating to jobs that aren’t site-based like design, bidding, marketing and sales, and digital.

    “By March, those stepping foot on the Watling Primary School and Nursery site will be able to see the project nearing completion, involving kitchen installation, partitioning, plastering, painting, and block paving slabs being laid.”

    The school will feature a variety of sustainable construction methods including roof mounted PVs to facilitate solar power as well as ground source heat pumps.

    As well as Watling Primary School and Nursery, this year’s Open Doors week will also see Willmott Dixon welcoming both schools and members of the public to various other sites around the country.

    To book your place or find out more information about the Watling School’s involvement in Open Doors, click here.

    This project is open for bookings on the Open Doors website until 28th February - spaces are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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