Kier has successfully delivered the new Carew Academy, a special educational needs and disability (SEND) school for pupils in the London Borough of Sutton.
The new facility replaces the current Carew Academy building and extends the provision for additional and complex learning needs in the area by offering 246 new places for children and young people in the Sutton, South London and South East region.
Funded by the Department for Education, the new school will be managed by Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust.
The two-storey, 5000m2, facility will offer a wide variety of learning spaces for students aged 7-18 years old with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Art, drama, food technology, music, sports, science, life skills, social and information and communication technology (ICT) facilities are combined with a full range of onsite therapy services, including speech and language therapy, emotional literacy, and occupational therapy.
Supporting the school’s sustainability goals, the building structure has been designed to maximise natural light and ventilation to aid students’ productivity and learning.
Additional energy-efficiency features include motion detection light switches, variable speed drives on pumps and fans, heat recovery on ventilation plants, BMS control, and smart meters with energy monitoring and reporting facilities.
"We are proud to have worked in partnership with the Department for Education and Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust again to deliver this new, outstanding SEND facility that will address the increased need for specialist education places in the borough and surrounding communities.
During the project, we provided wider social and economic benefits to the community by offering work placements and apprenticeships, procuring materials locally where possible, while volunteering with local community groups and engaging with local schools."
David Rowsell, managing director for Kier Construction London & Thames Valley
The school opened officially to students in April 2025.
"It is wonderful to finally welcome students into their new school,” said Mr. Kearns, Principal of Carew Academy. “This space has been designed with the needs of our students at the very heart of the project. Our new school has been created to provide a nurturing, inclusive environment with exceptional facilities where every student can feel supported and inspired. I look forward to sharing stories of how they thrive and achieve in this fantastic new environment."
Carew Academy Head Teacher
"A huge amount of effort has gone into designing, building, and moving into this new purpose-built school for Carew Academy and the result is fantastic. Everyone involved has been working towards one important goal – to transform the lives of the pupils and students that attend Carew Academy, and I am so very proud of what we have all achieved."
John Prior, CEO of Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust
This is the second facility that Kier has delivered for Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust, having completed the multi-award-winning Addington Valley Academy in Croydon. Key accolades for this project include Education Business Awards’ School Building of the Year and a Gold Construction Manager of the Year Award (Ed Dwight).
This appointment builds on Kier’s extensive experience of delivering SEND facilities in London, including Pinn River in Hillingdon, Spa School in Camberwell, a co-educational special school for students with autism, and the multi-award winning Greenwood Centre, a resource and community centre that is run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities.