Wiltshire School submits STEM expansion plans funded by Dyson grant

Malmesbury Primary School in Wiltshire has submitted plans for a major expansion, funded by entrepreneur James Dyson.

The School plans to build a new science, technology, engineering, art and maths centre, along with nine additional classrooms and a multi-use hall to cater for an influx of new students.

The science centre will be created inside the existing school building.

The extension will allow the school to increase its capacity from 420 to 630 pupils. The school says expansion is required to accommodate a predicted influx of children from the new 170-unit housing development at Backbridge Farm.

The £6 million donation from the Dyson Foundation was accepted by the Conservative government in January 2024.

Wiltshire Council – which was then also a Conservative administration – welcomed the contribution but said it had concerns about how the new facilities would impact nearby schools. The Department for Education said it was happy with the arrangement, so long as Malmesbury Primary School shared the new science facilities with neighbouring schools.

The extension will allow the school to increase its capacity from 420 to 630 pupils. The school says expansion is required to accommodate a predicted influx of children from the new 170-unit housing development at Backbridge Farm.

The land for expansion has been secured via a legal agreement with housing developer Persimmon Homes. However, this agreement expires in October 2031 and if it is not used the land will revert to the developer.