(Above) Councillor Joe Hearnshaw at the site of the new primary school in Whitehouse South
From next week, Milton Keynes City Council will seek a design and build contractor to develop a major new school in the Western Expansion Area of the city. The new primary school in Whitehouse South will cater for up to 630 pupils with a 39-place full-time equivalent (FTE) nursery on-site.
The winning contractor is expected to start work on site in summer 2027, with the school opening in September 2028. This will be the fifth and final school in this rapidly expanding area of the city, joining three existing primary schools and Watling Academy, a secondary rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The new school will include a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) unit creating 24 dedicated school spaces.
Earlier this month, the city council considered applications from a dozen organisations looking to run the new school. Four Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) were shortlisted and will be interviewed early next month. A formal decision will be made in Spring 2026, following a thorough process involving local education leaders and the Department for Education (DfE).
In the past ten years, the City Council has created capacity for 13,409 new school places for local children; building seven new schools and helping 22 existing schools expand.
“This is a significant new school and will be so important to our growing community in Whitehouse South. We’re excited to begin working with designers, builders and local education leaders to bring this new school to life. As Milton Keynes continues to expand, we will ensure that all families continue to have access to quality local schools.”
Alongside developing new schools, Milton Keynes City Council is committed to maintaining and improving existing schools. A rolling programme of work includes upgrading roofs, windows, and doors to be more energy efficient, switching to LED light fittings, and replacing gas boilers with greener alternatives.
The city council will make a formal decision on 28 October to set aside £18million to fund the works and to begin the procurement process for contractors to design and build the school.