The renovation work at the school is now well underway and it’s very exciting to see the developments that are happening onsite.
What is being built?
We are having six new classrooms created, as well as an open plan kitchen and dining area which will be a lot bigger than our current facility. We received a £2.25m grant from Worcestershire County Council to complete the work, and once complete we will be able to increase our student intake in September from 210 to 240 students.
Who’s doing the work?
It’s being completed by award-winning Wolverhampton-based construction company Interclass, which has extensive experience of working within the education sector. Interclass’ Steve Pearson is the Site Manager and is onsite overseeing the build.
All the timber that’s being used is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved. The FSC is an international non-profit organisation that promotes responsible forestry, and using FSC certified timber means that the wood has been harvested from forests that are environmentally and responsibly managed. In addition, the materials being used in the project are locally sourced from Midlands-based companies.
What has happened so far?
Quite a lot:
- The old building has been demolished
- New drainage works have been installed
- The concrete foundations for the new building have been laid
What’s happening next?
Over the next few months:
- The steel framework will be delivered to site and installed
- Concrete flooring planks will be laid
- The substructure brickwork will be completed
All before the roofing is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
How is the safety of the students ensured during the build?
This is something that Interclass and the school takes extremely seriously and a number of procedures and protective measures have been put in place. These include having the site completely fenced off so it’s totally separate from the school, completing a fire mitigation report to recognise any risks and ensure preventative measures are in place, and having the site gates locked at all times.
Will the students be able to learn anything from the build?
We want students to be engaged with the build as much as possible and they will be joining Interclass for a steel beam signing ceremony to mark the final stages of the steelwork erection. Students will also take part in behind the scenes tours of the new site as the build develops so they can learn more about what is happening at each stage.
When will the development be completed?
The new part of the school is expected to be completed by summer 2022 so it’s ready when we welcome new students in September. In addition to this build, the Interclass team has also been renovating some internal rooms which are due to be finished very shortly.
