King Edward VI Five Ways School in Birmingham has expanded its facilities with a bespoke modular building supplied by GSC Group. The new building, consisting of a classroom, office space, changing rooms and a storage area, will provide additional room to support the school’s outdoor education programme.
 
King Edward VI Five Ways School is a highly regarded secondary school that prides itself on fostering academic excellence and personal growth in its students. Outdoor education is an integral part of the curriculum, designed to encourage exploration, cultivate responsibility and empower students to analyse and take risks.
 
Students widely benefit from outdoor learning, clear evidence of which can be seen in a 2005 House of Commons report. The arrival of the new facility will make it easier for pupils to participate in more of these activities.
 
Working with the appointed project managers, TRU Contracts, GCS Group identified a number of potential obstacles regarding installation. Namely, the site was compromised by the presence of ornamental pillars, large branches and a disused telephone wire. GCS Group was able to advise on these matters early in the project. One such solution was the use of a robot to tow the modules through areas where the presence of heavy vehicles could cause safety concerns.

“The position of the classroom made it a challenging task. Access was very tight, along with restrictions for overhead cables.” Said the main contractor from TRU Contracts. “All these issues were dealt with at the early stages of the project, allowing for a fault-free installation. A thoroughly professional job.”

King Edward VI Five Ways School now has a brand-new outdoor learning space that they hope will foster a sense of adventure in new and existing students.

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