Work begins on new teaching block and sports facility at Dunton Junior School
Wednesday, 7 May 2025
Work has officially begun on a brand-new teaching block and multi-use games area (MUGA) at Dunton Junior CofE School.
The planned new facilities are part of our ongoing transformation of the area’s education system.
Dunton Junior changed from a lower school in September last year alongside schools in the Biggleswade area that moved from a three-tier to a two-tier education structure.
A new resource room for pupils with special educational needs and a new library has already been provided as part of £32 million we're investing to ensure schools in the Biggleswade area can have additional, improved, modern spaces to help inspire students to get the most out of their education.
The new Dunton Junior teaching block will contain two classrooms and a practical learning area for classes such as cookery, art and design. It will be designed to meet the latest space and comfort standards to give the best possible teaching spaces.
The new MUGA will allow for all year-round PE lessons, so students can experience playing lots of different types of sports – as well as being used as playground space.
At the official ground-breaking event, Head of Schools at Dunton Junior and Wrestlingworth Infants, Maria Poultney, said:
Dunton has special connections for me. The women in my family were born and have lived their lives as part of the village since at least 1822. I came to this school as did my mum and her mum before her. Being Head of Schools through this development marks a milestone in our history.
Fifty years ago, I found a fossil here in the school grounds that sparked a love for fossil hunting. Many years later, I taught my classes about Mary Anning, widely recognised as the first palaeontologist. I realised there was a name for what I wanted to become all those years ago and, had I had the knowledge that our children have now, my path might have been very different.
Our strong community in Wrestlingworth and Dunton petitioned to keep our schools open and teaching and learning alive, so our children learn that they can become whatever they want to be — maybe even a future palaeontologist.
Councillor Steve Owen, our Executive Member for Children’s Service and Community Safety, said:
This is an exciting milestone for Dunton Junior and the wider community. These improvements are designed to support local families and ensure children across the region have access to modern, high-quality learning environments and physical education spaces.
So, once they are built, the new teaching block and MUGA will form an important part of Dunton’s future as it continues to adapt to the evolving needs of its pupils and community, enriching learning experiences to ensure every child has the chance to thrive.
This project is part of our long-term commitment to investing in education, supporting local families and providing the best possible environment for children to grow, learn and succeed.