PRIMARY NEWS
South Yorkshire’s Marshland Primary Academy goes green
Pupils and teachers at Marshland Primary Academy in Moorends, near Doncaster, part of Venn Academy Trust, are celebrating cutting their carbon footprint after successfully installing a modern ground source heat pump system and other state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures. Working with Kensa, the UK’s leading manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps, the school is trailblazing how to go green, overhauling its old heating and hot water system and replacing the ageing gas boilers with seven new ground source heat pumps. The six-month project, partially funded by
the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund, also included fitting new radiators and 69 solar PVT panels, an emerging technology used in renewable heating installations.
The upgrades are
expected to boost the school’s energy efficiency, cut heating-related carbon emissions by close to 80%, and ensure classrooms stay warm and comfortable throughout the year for the benefit of staff and pupils alike. The newly installed ground source heat pumps use renewable energy stored in the earth to provide heating and hot water and are hidden inside two converted plant rooms. To reach the underground energy, 18 boreholes were drilled beneath the school’s playing field, each to a depth of around 127m.
Solar PVT has been integrated into the school’s ground source heating system, taking it beyond a standard ground source heat pump
installation. The technology generates both electricity and thermal energy, supercharging the heat pump’s efficiency and lowering installation and energy costs.
Marshland Primary Academy is one of the first UK schools to embrace this energy-saving technology alongside a heat pump installation. Investing in energy efficiency upgrades has provided the school with a low-cost, low- maintenance, renewable heating system, securing its energy future while providing long- term savings on heating and hot water bills. To meet the government’s goals of
reducing public sector carbon emissions by 75% by 2037, thousands of schools across the UK will need to follow Marshland Primary’s example, replacing their ageing, high-carbon-emitting heating systems and embracing more innovative, modern technologies.
This latest school ground source heat pump installation follows more than 15 others Kensa has completed in schools, including in South Wales and Northumberland, along with another in Doncaster at Richmond Hill Primary School.
Penny Marshall, Acting Principal at Marshland Primary Academy, said: “Energy efficiency and helping the environment is a big focus at Marshland, so it is exciting to be able to know that we are playing a small part in a much bigger picture by using natural resources to heat our school.”
Snodland CEP Primary School team win Lenovo F1 In Schools UK Primary National Finals
Four boys from Snodland CEP Primary School, Maidstone, Kent, raced to victory in the Lenovo F1 In Schools 2025 UK Primary National Finals, one of the UK’s largest STEM primary school competitions.
The event, held at the Magna Science and Adventure Centre in Rotherham saw over 200 students competing at this prestigious event hosted by TV personality, Radzi Chinyanganya. Team Striking Force became UK National Champions, with members Leon, Jake, Thomas and Hugo being presented with their Award by Lenovo’s Leah Harris.
Linking closely with STEM learning at Key Stage 2, the competition inspires students with its hands-on approach to engineering, design, and teamwork, all through the thrill of racing. The students are challenged to form a team of up to six pupils and design a race car out of card complete with wheels, body and a mini driver. They design and manufacture a body shell to fit a standard chassis using template software before printing and cutting their designs onto card, making their car ready to race.
Teams spend up to nine months developing and testing their race cars, often with the support of local engineering companies. They then compete in regional events for places in the National Final. At each stage of the competition, teams are judged on design, engineering, marketing, verbal presentation, pit display, written portfolio and performance in a speed race along a bespoke racetrack.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 In Schools, adds: “The students produced some excellent work that goes way beyond the standard classroom learning and really puts them in pole position
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with their understanding of key STEM skills. The passion and the achievements of these young people is a credit to their teachers and schools; it’s great to see how a fun, exciting challenge can really inspire them and without even realising it, they’re hooked on STEM! “With our recent rebrand to STEM Racing, Supported by Formula 1, we’re continuing to evolve the programme to reflect its growing reach, its emphasis on innovation, and the wide range of future careers it opens up for students around the world.”
April 2025
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