12 December 2025
Beam Park regeneration partners officially open Park Primary Academy
Beam Park’s first school, Park Primary Academy, has officially opened as part of the ambitious Beam Park residential scheme being delivered by Vistry (via its Countryside Partnerships brand) and L&Q.
The school is operated by Partnership Learning, a multi-academy trust overseeing 20 primary, secondary and special schools across London boroughs including Havering and Barking & Dagenham. Located at the heart of one of Havering Council’s most ambitious new communities, Beam Park encompasses an eight-phase masterplan delivering approximately 4,000 homes.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony on 28 November 2025 welcomed key guests including MP Margaret Mullane; representatives from Vistry, L&Q, Kier, Mace, GLA; officials from the Department for Education; Havering Council; and members of Partnership Learning.
Park Primary Academy was constructed by Kier, one of the UK’s leading construction and infrastructure services companies, under contract with the Department for Education. Developed on a former brownfield site, the school exemplifies Kier’s commitment to creating modern, sustainable learning environments. It is among the first DfE-backed schools to benefit from district heating via the Beam Park network and has achieved a BREEAM “Very Good” rating for environmental performance.
Key sustainability features include:
- Optimised natural light and ventilation to enhance wellbeing and reduce energy demand.
- High-performance insulated glazing for improved thermal efficiency.
- Rooftop photovoltaic panels generating renewable electricity, with surplus exported back to the grid.
- Efficient heating provided through the district heating system, reducing carbon emissions.
The school will grow to serve 420 pupils aged 4 to 11, expanding from an initial single-form entry in Reception to two forms per year group by 2032. A nursery will be added once local demand grows. The school also features specialist SEND provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Moderate Learning Difficulty (MLD), and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), to be commissioned by the local authority when required.
Situated on Hart Way, the school is part of the initial two phases of Beam Park, which have delivered 1,158 homes alongside vital community amenities including a health centre, nursery, the primary school itself, and the riverside Central Park with children’s play facilities.
Construction is advancing swiftly. In October 2025, Vistry and L&Q reached the topping out milestone on Phase C, which will deliver 520 homes for Barking & Dagenham Council in the coming year.
Once complete, Beam Park will offer extensive community infrastructure, including two schools, retail units, a gym, a dedicated nursery, a multi-faith centre, and two modern energy centres with 58% of the development comprising open space.
Beam Park is one of just three London schemes delivering over 3,000 homes with 50% affordable housing and 25% family homes, addressing the acute need for quality housing in the region.
John Bolton, Regional Director – Public, Kier Construction London & Thames Valley, said: “At Kier, we believe education is the foundation of thriving communities and brighter futures. The Park Primary Academy will play a vital role in providing a safe, secure and stimulating learning environment for pupils to enjoy that will positively impact the community at Beam Park for years to come.
“We’re proud to have worked alongside Vistry, L&Q, the DfE, Mace, Havering Council and Partnership Learning to deliver this modern, purpose-built and inclusive learning environment for students of all ages. Witnessing the opening of the new school and seeing the first cohort of pupils enjoying the fantastic facilities was incredibly rewarding.”
Roger Leighton OBE, CEO at Partnership Learning, said: “Park Primary will be the seventh new school opened by Partnership Learning and in many ways it has been the most seamless in terms of handover from the construction and development teams. A huge thank you to Vistry, L&Q and Kier for delivering a superb building, at the heart of the new community, which will provide a brilliant environment for our pupils to thrive and grow.”
Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing & Residential Development, said: “The opening of a new school as part of the Beam Park development is hugely exciting and will not only support local children and families moving to the area but also provide a thriving hub for the local community to enjoy. This project is on City Hall land and the Mayor and I are delighted to be supporting the delivery of high-quality and sustainable housing which we urgently need in the capital. Nearly half of the new homes being built at Beam Park are affordable tenures and I look forward to seeing more Londoners move into these new homes as we continue to build a better, more prosperous city for all.”
Kevin Delve, Managing Director for Vistry East London, commented: “We are delighted to celebrate the opening of this exceptional educational facility for the Beam Park community. Its completion highlights the vital role that high-quality community infrastructure plays in delivering developments of this scale. To date, 1,158 new homes have been completed at Beam Park, with a further 520 underway, alongside a new health centre, nursery, and extensive green spaces. Park Primary Academy is a highly valued addition to this growing neighbourhood and further strengthens the range of much-needed homes and amenities now available to residents in east London.”
David Lewis, Executive Group Director for Property & Investment at L&Q, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating this milestone at Beam Park, together with our partners and members of the local community. Beyond providing much-needed affordable homes, our mission at L&Q is to create neighbourhoods that everyone can be proud of, and we are certainly proud to be supporting the ever growing local community through the opening of yet another fantastic facility.”
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said: “We’re delighted to see Park Primary Academy officially open its doors, providing a fantastic new facility for local families and a strong foundation for our children’s future.
"This is an important milestone in delivering the infrastructure our growing community needs, and we hope it will soon be followed by equally welcome news about Beam Park Station.
"We wish all school staff, pupils and parents every success and happiness as they begin this exciting new chapter.”