More than ten years of worry over school places in our area have been brought to an end by the (so very nearly) completion of Pix Brook Academy’s state-of-the-art new building, which has sprung up from a farmer’s field off the Stotfold/Arlesey Road in just a shade over a year – a schedule that would have made it record-breaking in normal times and is nothing short of remarkable in light of the additional restrictions created by Covid-19. 

With the global pandemic still being what it is, it’s unlikely that we’ll see a grand opening in the near future, but this long-awaited new school building is open for business – and that’s big news for Fairfield families, who (being furthest away from Etonbury Academy and therefore  always last on the list) have struggled for years to get middle school places in our catchment.

On 7 September, both the school’s first cohort, which was housed last year in a temporary building on the Etonbury Academy site, and more than 130 new pupils who joined this year, were welcomed into the ‘primary’ wing of the new building. Contractor Willmott Dixon is working to bring the remainder to completion in time for handover during October half-term.

Two of the highlights already in place: The Learning Resource Centre (LRC, top) is an inviting space that takes full advantage of the building’s wide-ranging views on two sides, while looking over the canteen on a third. The canteen itself (above), although not quite ready to be shown in all its full-height glory, will be an impressive triple-storey space and truly the centre of the building, with both the first- and second-floor corridors galleried above it, spaces including the LRC looking down into it, and with direct access into the hall, drama studio, playground and staff room.