It’s been a year of steady progress in construction of the ‘exceptional’ new Airfield Primary Academy which will open in Weston-super-Mare in September.
The new primary school, which is being built on the site of the former Weston Airfield, will have 21 classrooms and a 103-place nursery.
Adjacent to the school will be a community hub with grass sports pitches, artificial turf pitch, multi-use game area, changing facilities and a community space with studios.
The school is also being built to green and sustainable standards and will be equipped with solar panels and air-source heat pumps.
It forms part of the Haywood Village development, which includes plans to build 2,500 new homes. Airfield Primary Academy will provide modern facilities and additional school places with community sports facilities right on the doorstep of the growing community.
Airfield Primary Academy is being built by Persimmon Homes and Willmott Dixon to specifications set out by North Somerset Council and Cabot Learning Federation. It is due open to the first intake of pupils at the start of the 2026/27 school year.
The deadline to submit reception-aged primary school applications for children to start school for the first time in September 2026 should be made to North Somerset Council by 23:59 on 15 January 2026.
Though construction continues to make significant progress, proposals to provide alternative temporary classroom provision on a nearby site have also been drawn up and submitted to the Local Planning Authority.
The temporary classroom would provide a space to learn for 2026/27’s first intake of pupils, in the event that the school’s main construction is delayed beyond the start of 2026/27 term.
Craig Jones, Principal Designate for Airfield Primary Academy, said:
“The Cabot Learning Federation is immensely proud to see the new Airfield Primary School taking shape – this will be a fantastic school with exceptional facilities.
“We continue to enjoy a close working relationship with North Somerset Council and Willmott Dixon in delivering this new school for the Weston-super-Mare community.
“Preparations for a September opening are progressing smoothly, and we are excited to welcome our first pupils to this excellent new school."
Councillor Catherine Gibbons, Deputy Leader of North Somerset Council and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Families, Skills and Lifelong Learning, said:
“North Somerset is committed to providing local schools for local children, so it’s fantastic to see the new Airfield Primary Academy taking shape.
“Now the building’s frame, roof and internal floors are in place, it’s possible to get a sense of the space where pupils will eventually learn.
“Once classrooms are built in the coming year, our vision for these modern facilities will become even clearer, eventually becoming somewhere young people can aim high and realise their ambitions.
“The new Airfield Primary Academy is also a great example of how the council can work with academy trusts and developers to meet the needs of local residents.
“These modern facilities would not be possible without working in partnership, so I’d like to thank to ongoing hard work of CLF, Persimmon and Willmott Dixon.”
Claire Burton, Persimmon Homes Severn Valley’s Managing Director, said:
“Persimmon is very pleased to see progress on the Haywood Village development, particularly the delivery of this key element of community infrastructure. This will be the second school we deliver as part of our scheme for the new community, complementing the existing facilities in Haywood Village and further supporting the growing needs of local families at the development.
“We’re pleased to contribute to the evolving educational landscape in Weston-super-Mare and look forward to seeing Airfield Primary Academy become a central part of the community as we continue to build quality new homes for local families.”
Richard David, Director at Wilmott Dixon, said:
“Working in collaboration with North Somerset Council and Persimmon Homes on the construction of Airfield Primary Academy exemplifies our shared commitment to excellence.
“We are delighted to be working once again with North Somerset Council on a project which pushes the boundaries of sustainable education.”
