Work has begun to build a new state-of-the-art teaching block at Colmers School & Sixth Form College in Rednal, Birmingham. Interserve has signed on to deliver the £7.2 million project, with funding directly from the Department for Education (DfE), Birmingham City Council and Colmers School & Sixth Form College. This scheme will involve the demolition of the existing west building, which is more than 70 years old, and the construction of a new large teaching block to accommodate additional facilities including two science classrooms and a growing school cohort. It forms part of the UK Government’s £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme which aims to rebuild or refurbish those school buildings in the very worst condition across the country. Emma Leaman, Head Teacher at Colmers School & Sixth Form College, said: “This much-needed replacement of one out-dated school building on the site will offer modern facilities, providing life-long benefits for pupils and staff in a welcoming and secure setting. This is a wonderful opportunity for the school and our local community and there will be an emphasis on quality and innovation throughout the building programme. “Interserve Construction, which has lots of experience of building schools, has been selected by the Department for Education to deliver the project.” Simon Butler, Interserve Construction Divisional Director, added: “This exciting project represents the largest investment in more than 70 years for Colmers School & Sixth Form College. It will enable it to grow and build upon their performance with brand new facilities for generations of students in this area. “Education across the spectrum from primary through to tertiary remains a key strategic focus for Interserve Construction and in the past year alone we have been named the lead contractor on more than 16 new school projects demonstrating our capabilities in the sector.”

Mason UK has formed part of the team to deliver a £40 million development at the Royal College of Music. Situated between the vibrant Imperial College of London and the illustrious Royal Albert Hall, the Royal College of Music can be considered the pinnacle of past, present and future music within the capital. The £40 million ‘More Music: Reimagining the Royal College of Music’ Campaign aims to increase access to music and strengthen facilities. The building development will enhance student and visitor experience. Floating floors were required in the new performance hall to create separate box-in-box structures providing areas for undisturbed musical performances. With high ceilings, varying levels and heavy floor finishing zones, the floating floor and bearing designs had to be carefully coordinated with the design team and in particular the structural engineers. The heavy perimeter walls and ceiling were constructed on 12Hz natural rubber bearings which surround the main floating floor. This helped to spread the mass across the structural floor rather than having large point loads. At the head of these walls were bespoke design acoustic snubbers which would engage in the unlikely scenario of the walls moving laterally ±3mm. This satisfied both the acoustic and structural requirements. Mason UK’s involvement in the Royal College of Music’s More Music building development brought together many different elements of design. Being directly involved within the design process enabled the best possible solution to be put forward; this is especially important in scenarios where a typical construction solution is not suitable.

Three early years nursery schemes are set to move forward in Scotland with UK construction giant Morgan Sindall. The firm will deliver three new single-storey buildings at Newton Brae, Cambuslang; Kirkmuirhill, on Thornton Road; and Crawforddyke, on Eastfield Road, Carluke. These developments will support an additional 329 early years places. The schemes, worth a combined £7.5 million, are being delivered on behalf of South Lanarkshire Council and hub South West Scotland. Work is already underway and expected to be completed in time for the start of the new school year in 2020. Stuart Parker, Morgan Sindall Construction managing director in Scotland, said: “We’re very pleased to be working with the council and hub South West to deliver this vital extra capacity in early years education. “These single-storey teaching spaces can be designed and built quickly. They allow local authorities to respond to increased demand from growing local communities; while aligning with the Scottish government’s aim of doubling the entitlement to free early learning and childcare, to 1140 hours per year by 2020.” Michael McBrearty, chief executive of development partner hub South West Scotland added: “hub South West is delighted that this important project is now progressing with Morgan Sindall Construction named as preferred contractor for the three early years facilities across South Lanarkshire. “Having just embarked on a varied programme of works with Morgan Sindall Construction we look forward to working with them to deliver these projects to our participants.”

Skanska has completed building work to extend Bristol Cathedral Choir School. The extension has created over 200 new places for pupils at the school. Work on the planning and pre-construction phase of the project began in 2017. The first phase, completed in two months, converted an existing listed building from a primary school to offices and a music practice room. Work also involved the reconfiguration of three rooms into two blocks to provide improved teaching facilities. Work on phase two, completed over four months, converted an existing area into teaching space by relocating existing textiles, art and design and technology teaching rooms. They also relocated and increased the size of a cycle store. This phase was completed by demolishing an existing garage to construct a food kiosk. During the final phase, the team demolished an existing structure to construct a new building including a girls’ changing room, science laboratory, two general teaching rooms and a communal room. During this phase the team stopped work for 14 weeks to allow archaeology investigations to take place. To ensure the project was delivered on time for the new academic year, they worked closely with Bristol Cathedral’s archaeologist. Nathan Bowerman, Project Manager, explained: “This has been a complex project from the very beginning and we’re really proud of the end result. We worked successfully in a complex stakeholder landscape, including Historic England, because the school is located close to the Cathedral’s grounds. It was vital to the team that we delivered this project on time, to create extra spaces for pupils to attend this popular school. “The project was delivered over three phases and all of the team worked seamlessly with each other to ensure that disruption was kept to a minimum and safety was at the forefront of everything we did.”

A deal has been struck with Morgan Sindall to build a new primary school in Eastleigh. The contractor has begun work on site to deliver Stoneham Park Primary Academy, which will provide places for 315 children. Cliff Kinch, area director of Morgan Sindall Construction’s Fareham office, said: “We are delighted to have started work to deliver this brand new primary school, which will be an essential addition to North Stoneham Park. “The new school building will be a high-quality, sustainable facility – providing a teaching and learning environment that will inspire and motivate school users and become an integral part of the local community. “Morgan Sindall Construction has long-standing expertise within the education sector, and we look forward to furthering our strong relationship with Hampshire County Council, the University of Winchester Academy Trust, and the local community as we deliver this new school.” The deal for the new school is designed to encourage community use, with a learning resource area at the heart of the plan. Set over two floors, the school boasts 11 classrooms, group working rooms, a library, a new multi-use games area (MUGA) and grassed play areas. Once complete, the school will take full advantage of the extensive grounds with a full forest school and an outdoor learning programme. The school will sit within North Stoneham Park, a new mixed-use, residential development that will create over 1,000 new homes in Eastleigh alongside sporting and leisure facilities, a nursery, office buildings and a retail centre. It will meet future demand from the new development and is part of a wider initiative to provide 18,500 new school places for pupils across the county by 2021. Morgan Sindall Construction’s project team is building the school using the Streif modular system, which allows the structural panels to be delivered to the site with external windows, doors and glazing pre-installed. The system ensures a shorter timescale of delivery and a smaller volume of deliveries to the construction site. Once built, responsibility for the school will be handed to the University of Winchester Academy Trust, which has been appointed as the academy sponsor by the Department for Education. Professor Joy Carter, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winchester and Chair of the University of Winchester Academy Trust, added on the deal: “It is a huge privilege to be setting out on this journey to lead another successful school to serve our community. We aim to create an academy where children will learn and flourish and which is aspirational, inclusive and joyful. “Stoneham Park Primary Academy will benefit from the University’s outstanding track record in teacher education and extensive regional school partnerships, our evidence-based learning and teaching, our powerful links with local business and community organisations, and our passionate commitment to sustainability and social justice.” The project is expected to be complete in time for the first intake of pupils in 2020.

Sheffield City Council has built on the success of its ‘The Building Block’ programme with the launch of a new construction learning hub. The initiative was introduced in the city due its shortage of construction workers, with more than 85 people now successfully moving into full time construction work in six months. Former hairdresser Ellie credits the learning hub for helping her spark a new career in bricklaying. “I wasn’t challenged enough as a hairdresser and I was speaking to my partner one evening who told me about a training course his boss was supporting alongside Sheffield City Council, The Building Block,” she said. “I looked into it and thought immediately how great an opportunity this was to start a new career. “I loved attending the hub; everyone on the course was in the same situation as me, looking to get started in a new career and so we all bonded over that. I was learning new skills every day and I felt a huge sense of satisfaction knowing I was getting closer to my goal of becoming a bricklayer. “I’m now fortunate enough to work as a bricklayer full time! I started with work experience on a new housing development at Manor Boot; my employers were so impressed with my work ethic I was inundated with offers of employment. “I now really enjoy coming to work every day and I can’t envisage myself doing anything else.” This programme forms part of the £22 million Construction Skills Fund (CSF), which has organisations the opportunity to create 26 learning ‘hubs’ across the country, with the aim of training more than 13,000 people to be ready for employment in the construction industry by March 2020. The hubs provide life-changing opportunities to start a career in construction, with particular focus on the long-term unemployed, career changers and unrepresented groups. The Building Block programme aims to train up to 650 people with an expected 250 individuals moving into sustained employment by 31 March 2020. Steve Radley, Policy Director of the Construction Industry Training Board, commented: “Sheffield City Council has an ambitious plan to supply the city with 10,000 new homes over the next 10 years, and to successfully achieve that target it is crucial that new talent is recruited into the local construction industry. “We’ve seen a fantastic response from local employers as they continue to recruit from the Building Block learning hub. We look forward to seeing further trainees placed in full time employment and helping to further regenerate the city of Sheffield.”

A deal has been reached for a £29 million secondary school in Barry, South Wales. Contractor Morgan Sindall has signed on to deliver the project, which will feature space for 1,100 pupils. The new build will replace the existing Whitmore High School, which currently supports 905 pupils. The current school will remain open for the duration of the construction period, before being demolished. Teaching space will be spread across three storeys, with 70 general classrooms and two drama and activity studios encompassed within the 11,000 metre square site. An inclusive ALN suite will also serve to support students with additional learning needs. Sporting facilities are provided through both indoor and outdoor spaces, with an all-weather pitch and multi-use games court. A central courtyard has been designated for used for group learning and informal use. There will also be a state-of-the-art music studio, an art learning resource centre, multi-functional hall with retractable seating, and large dining area. Vale of Glamorgan Council appointed Morgan Sindall through the South East and Mid Wales Collaborative Construction Framework (SEWSCAP), as part of Wales’ 21st Century Schools Programme for investment in education deal. Rob Williams, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “This project represents a significant investment in the education offer for people in Barry and one we’re well placed to deliver. Morgan Sindall Construction is one of the most active school-builders across Wales. We have a track record of designing and building modern, inspirational teaching environments, fit for 21st century education and relish briefs like this. “By using the SEWSCAP framework, Vale of Glamorgan Council has benefited from an efficient and reliable procurement process, reducing the time from planning to delivery considerably.” Work will start on the site in autumn 2019 and is expected to complete by spring 2022.

Construction work has commenced on a £7 million school expansion in Great Yarmouth. A new two-storey school with room for 420 places will be built for North Denes Primary School. This forms part of a £169 million county-wide investment to create thousands of new school places in Norfolk. “We are delighted to have started work on North Denes Primary School, which will help to provide pupils with the chance to access a high level of education that will help them throughout their educational journey,” said John Stedman, framework manager at Morgan Sindall Construction in the East. “Fostering strong links with project neighbours and the wider community is incredibly important to the team, and where possible, we will be sourcing labour and materials from Great Yarmouth, helping to ensure social, economic and environmental benefits are seen by the community. “Morgan Sindall Construction has long standing expertise in building first-class educational facilities, and we look forward to furthering our long-standing collaborative relationship with Norfolk County Council and NPS.” Contractor Morgan Sindall was joined by the headteacher and pupils of the school to mark the major milestone. “I am absolutely delighted to have reached this stage. After all the planning and consultation that has gone before, it is exciting to begin to see our new school start to take shape. The children in Great Yarmouth deserve to have a state-of-the-art school in which to learn – both those here now and future generations to come. We can’t wait to move in next year and open a new chapter for education locally,” added Headteacher Debbie Whiting. The school will feature photovoltaic panels on the roof, drawing on passive environment design principals to create a naturally ventilated, energy efficient, environmentally friendly building. Classes will continue in the current school building while works on the project progress, with the team implementing processes such as traffic management systems and noise reduction during exams in order to minimise disruption to the school users and neighbours. The new school is expected to be complete in time for the 2020 academic year.

Henry Brothers have been awarded a £9 million contract to construct a new Enterprise Innovation Centre for Trent University. The project is the third undertaken by Henry Brothers Midlands for the university – and the latest in a number of schemes completed in the higher education sector across the East Midlands. The building will be the focal point of NTU’s enterprise activities – from supporting start-up companies to commercialising research, advising on intellectual property and offering services to local businesses. The £9 million, four-storey building will be linked to the University’s existing Dryden Centre at the City Campus in Nottingham and will provide the flexible space needed to accommodate entrepreneurs and businesses. Henry Brothers has recently handed over a new £23 million engineering facility at the Clifton Campus to NTU, and earlier this year started work on a new Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF), which is also being built at the Clifton Campus. Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “As a company, Henry Brothers is proud to support Nottingham Trent University – the Guardian University of the Year 2019 – as it continues to invest in, and develop and create, first class learning and supporting accommodation and facilities. “This is our third construction project for the University, and we are delighted to have now broken ground at the site and started work on Nottingham Trent University’s latest development at its City Campus. The Enterprise Innovation Centre will have a positive impact not just at the university, but also on the wider economy of Nottingham and the East Midlands and it’s great to play a part in creating such a facility.” Nottingham Trent University Vice-Chancellor Edward Peck was joined by a number of guests at the ground-breaking ceremony, including Anna Vinsen from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and internal colleagues in Executive Dean of Enterprise, Mike Carr, and the recently appointed Head of Enterprise Innovation Centre, Megan Powell Vreeswijk. Launching the project Mike Carr said: “What the Enterprise and Innovation Centre gives us is the focal point for our work with enterprising start-ups and established businesses as well as being somewhere a community of entrepreneurial people can come together to exchange knowledge and ideas.” Megan added: “We have developed the centre based on the three Cs of Community, Connectivity and Collaboration. It allows us to bring together a community of entrepreneurs from across Nottingham and the wider region who can learn from each other and development their businesses. In doing so, we aim to further stimulate the local economy in our area.” Henry Brothers is working on the Enterprise Innovation Centre with architect Evans Vettori, engineers Mott MacDonald, Edge as project manager, Robinson Low Francis as quantity surveyor, with Couch Perry Wilkes handling the M&E elements. The centre is planned to open in late 2020 and will become the new home for the Hive, which is currently based in the University’s Maudslay building. The Hive offers mentoring, support, training and networking opportunities for students, graduates, staff and other entrepreneurs launching a business or social enterprise. It has been part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Sustainable Urban Development Scheme (SUDS), coordinated by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government with the support of the D2N2 LEP and Nottingham City Council.

Leicestershire’s new £1 billion community at New Lubbesthorpe is beginning to shape with the area’s first primary school. A £7 million primary school has been completed on Tay Road, ahead of its official opening on 02 September when it will welcome 420 pupils.  This will be the first of three schools delivered under the new community project, which will ultimately comprise up to 5,000 new homes, further primary schools and a secondary school, community facilities and an employment park adjacent to the M1/M69. Located to the west of Leicester, the site will also provide 325 acres of new parklands for local residents to enjoy.  The Drummond Estate is leading the project, with Clegg Construction appointed to deliver the new school along with GSS Architecture. Peter Merry, CEO from the OWLS Academy Trust, who will run the new school, said: “The quality of provision for the children, their families and staff is excellent and we look forward to the fantastic opportunities that are afforded by such a wonderful new school. We now have beautiful, spacious and light classrooms, additional exciting learning spaces, food technology room, creative arts room, library, soft play, kitchen, garden area and outdoor spaces. “Throughout the process of designing and building the school, it has been a pleasure to work in partnership with the Drummond Trustees and family, Leicestershire County Council and Blaby District Council, GSS architects, Cleggs construction and others to ensure that the project has been led by the needs of the children in the school and they have the high quality school they deserve. “We look forward also to getting to know our local community in New Lubbesthorpe and hope they will be regular visitors at events in our school; we hope they will also become familiar with our children whose enhanced learning opportunities will take them out into the local neighbourhood. “We will be celebrating and looking forward to beginning the exciting process of making memories in New Lubbesthorpe Primary School. We are most grateful to the Drummond family for such an opportunity.”