Morgan Sindall Construction’s London business has celebrated the successful completion of a major upgrade to Burlington Junior School in New Malden, London, with an opening event.
To mark this final milestone, representatives from Morgan Sindall, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames councillors, members of the not-for-profit organisation Achieving for Children, TPM Studio architects, and Burlington Junior School governors gathered to the completed school to watch Deputy Mayor Sue Ansari and The Right Honourable Edward Davey cut ribbons to two buildings, tour the new facilities, enjoy refreshments, and watch pupils perform songs in celebration.
Appointed to the project by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and procured through the Southern Construction Framework (SCF), Morgan Sindall refurbished the school’s existing Victorian building and constructed a new 2,800 sq. m, three-storey teaching block with a unique external first floor terrace area. Overall, delivering modern, high-quality educational facilities while increasing pupil capacity by 120 places.
Delivered through a carefully phased programme of works, the project responds to the rising demand for school places across the borough and supports the continued provision of high-quality education within a modern, sustainable learning environment.
The new building includes a sports hall, 15 high-specification teaching spaces, and a central atrium extending three storeys to the underside of the roof. The atrium incorporates an open staircase that provides access to the first floor, complete with integrated bleacher seating.
Constructed using a steel and concrete frame, the building features a brickwork façade at a low level, transitioning to rendered insulation covered with mesh screening above. The roof is finished in Pigmento Red standing seam zinc, creating a modern and distinctive architectural addition to the school.
Works also included the creation of two multi-use games areas (MUGA), extensive hard and soft landscaping, and the safe demolition of a redundant 1970s CLASP building. This enabled the delivery of a new 60-space car park serving both the Junior School and the Infant and Nursery Schools. The project team also restored several toilet areas within the neighbouring Burlington Infant School.
As construction was carried out in a live school environment, Morgan Sindall worked closely with the school, staff, and teachers to carefully schedule and manage construction activity, ensuring minimal disruption to daily teaching and operations.
In line with the tier one contractor’s commitment to sustainability, Morgan Sindall installed 72 photovoltaic (PV) panels across the site, supporting the project’s ambition to achieve an Excellent BREEAM rating. Throughout the project, 98% of construction waste was recycled and nothing was sent to landfill. This was partly achieved through the collaboration with supply chain partner, Pallet loop, to recycle pallets.
Delivering meaningful social value was a key priority throughout the project. Morgan Sindall engaged extensively with the local New Malden community, hosting workshops and supporting career opportunities in partnership with Women into Construction, the independent not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping women access careers in the construction industry.
In addition, to give the next generation of construction professionals the chance to gain on-site experience, the project team onboarded 11 apprentices to the project, totalling 415 weeks. While some apprentices worked directly on-site, others gained experience through Morgan Sindall’s supply chain.
The site team also welcomed numerous visits from Kingston College, pupils, school staff, and governors, providing a valuable opportunity to experience a live construction environment and gain insight into the wide range of career opportunities within the industry.
The project was delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction in close collaboration with TPM Studio architects, Shockledge structural and civil engineers, and Boon Brown landscape architects.
Richard Dobson, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in London, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work alongside the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, the Burlington Junior School team, and of course the wider Burlington community on this project. Creating a modern learning environment while the school remained open was a shared effort, and the cooperation of staff, pupils, and parents was key to its success.
“We’re beyond delighted to be able to celebrate such a bright, sustainable, and inspiring space that will benefit current pupils and future generations for many more years to come.”
Cllr Diane White, Portfolio Holder for Children's Services at Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, said: “Supporting children and young people to have the best possible start in life is a top priority for us at Kingston Council, and providing excellent facilities for that to take place is very important. This is an exciting time for the school and I hope that students and staff alike flourish in their new spaces.”
Glen Moorley, Director at TPM Studio, said: “The new school provides modern and sustainable new facilities for the existing and future pupils of Burlington School. The design was shaped through extensive user and stakeholder engagement as well as a rigorous period of review of the multiple opportunities and constraints presented by the site. The end result is an exceptional new school building as well as enhanced facilities that will not just facilitate high educational attainment but also meet the increased demand for school places in the borough.”
