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North Ayrshire sees first Passivhaus school

Irvine’s newest school has now been open a month – with pupils and staff setting into their new surroundings.

Built by Robertson Construction North West, the school opened in August and as part of the council’s ambitious net-zero drive, is the first ‘Passivhaus’ school in the region.

Passivhaus Standard delivers buildings which provide a high level of comfort for occupants, while using very little energy for heating and cooling. The new school will use significantly less energy than a typical school building, resulting in lower carbon emissions, and lower energy bills.

Montgomerie Park Primary accommodates up to 342 pupils, plus an early learning and childcare facility with 32 places for three to five-year-olds, and 15 places for two-year-olds.

Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “We are proud of this fantastic new school which marks a new chapter in the lives of the children and staff. It is an incredible facility and we are confident it will provide a learning and teaching environment of the very highest quality.”

Andy McLinden, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction Central West, said: “It is with huge satisfaction that we deliver this project, not only a new high-quality school but a milestone in the national journey to net zero. In close collaboration with North Ayrshire Council, we have created a place that truly meets the needs and aspirations of the pupils, providing them with a nurturing educational environment where they can thrive.

“Beyond the creation of these state-of-the-art facilities, this project has also significantly contributed to community wealth building. We employed 54 local people, hosted 130 apprenticeship weeks on site, and supported employment programmes, ensuring that our work leaves a lasting legacy in the local area.”

Initial work on the new school began in March 2023. It was built to rigorous energy efficiency standards and comprises 12 classrooms, early learning facilities, a gymnasium incorporating flexible performance areas, dining facilities, along with outdoor learning spaces including a seven-a-side all-weather pitch.

Source: North Ayrshire Council

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New era begins for Ysgol Robert Owen

A new era has begun for a special school in north Powys after pupils and staff moved into their new building this week.

The new school building for Newtown’s Ysgol Robert Owen (formerly Ysgol Cedewain) is the latest project that has been completed by Powys County Council under its Transforming Education Programme.

As part of the programme, the council has already built one new high school and 10 primary schools and also carried out remodelling works at a primary and a high school.

The brand-new building has been built for pupils with additional learning needs by Wynne Construction on behalf of the council. 75% of the funding for the project is being provided by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, with the remaining 25% of funding being provided by the council.

The state-of-the-art new building has replaced the very poor accommodation at the school’s current building, and includes facilities for very vulnerable learners, including a hydrotherapy pool, sensory and physiotherapy rooms and garden as well as a community café.

Outdoor sports facilities will now be developed on the grounds on the site of the former school buildings now they have been vacated.

Staff are now able to teach in a learning environment that is fit-for-purpose, and for parents they have confidence that their children are being supported within the best facilities and accommodation.

Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “I’m delighted that pupils and staff of Ysgol Robert Owen have moved into their fantastic new school building.

“I would like to thank the school community for their patience while this facility was being built. I would also like to acknowledge the school’s input into this scheme to ensure that it was built to minimise the design impact on pupils.

“This project has seen the council provide a world-class facility for the county’s most vulnerable learners.

“This new building is an important part of our Strategy to Transform Education in Powys and will provide an environment where teaching staff and thrive and give vulnerable learners the facilities that meets their needs, they benefit from and enables them to enjoy learning.”

To read the council’s Strategy for Transforming Education 2020-2032 and details of the Transforming Education Programme – Wave 2 (2022 – 2027) visit Transforming Education

Source: Powys County Council

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Government to take new approach to education infrastructure

Michelle Davies, DPP Consulting’s Director and Education Lead, explores the Labour government’s approach to education infrastructure.

Shortly after Labour took office, its new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced plans to reform the planning system, focusing on unlocking “stalled sites” and prioritising economic benefits in planning decisions. This includes support for local authorities with the appointment of an additional 300 new planning officers.

The government is now also consulting on a new NPPF which now places “significant weight” on the importance of new, expanded or upgraded public infrastructure, including educational buildings. Despite this backdrop, there has been limited information on how the new government will be improving school infrastructure.

The School Rebuilding Programme

The School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) remains active, with no indications from the government that it will be halted. The SRP is a key initiative aimed at addressing the condition of school buildings across England, with plans to rebuild or refurbish over 500 schools in poor condition over a decade.

The importance of this programme is underscored by the National Audit Office (NAO) report from June 2023, which highlighted that approximately 700,000 pupils are learning in schools that require significant rebuilding or refurbishment.

The issue of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) further complicates matters, with 234 education settings in England confirmed as having RAAC and 119 of these schools needing major rebuilding or refurbishment. It remains to be seen how the government will approach this pressing issue.

The government’s primary focus so far has been on other educational reforms, such as increasing teacher recruitment, introducing free breakfast clubs, and pledging to create 3,000 new nurseries within existing primary schools. While it seems unlikely that it would reduce funding on educational infrastructure, there is still no clear commitment at this stage.

A new emphasis on public infrastructure

One area where we see more immediate and tangible changes is in the proposed updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). These updates could provide much-needed support for planning applications related to education infrastructure projects.

In the draft NPPF, paragraphs 96 and 97 have been expanded to encourage not only the provision school places, but also the development of early years and post-16 education infrastructure. This broader scope is significant as it suggests a more holistic approach to supporting educational needs, encompassing nurseries, special education needs (SEN), and further and higher education institutions. 

Moreover, paragraph 98 of the draft NPPF has been revised to place “significant weight” on the importance of new, expanded or upgraded public service infrastructure, including education buildings, in planning decisions. This revision is helpful because planning applications, including for new educational facilities, often involve balancing multiple competing interests. The added emphasis on the importance of educational infrastructure could tip the scales in favour of approval, particularly where there is clear need for improved facilities. As a planner, it will be interesting to see how this plays out in real situations and applications.

The explicit support for a wider range of educational facilities and the greater value placed on these projects within NPPF should be helpful when seeking approval for projects that address not just immediate school place shortages or improvements but also broader educational needs within communities.

Consultation on the new NPPF closes on 24 September 2024 and is expected to be formally in place shortly after. However, when it comes to spending commitments there are a lot of ifs, buts and ‘possibilities’ in all of these statements, and as a fundamental sector in the economic development of the UK, our educators and educational planners could do with more certainty.

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Leicestershire sees opening of new SEND school

A brand-new specialist school for pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs has completed in Shepshed, Leicestershire, offering facilities for students aged 4-16 from September 2024.

Bowman Academy, which is situated on the former site of St Botolph’s Primary School, located to the east of Shepshed on Loughborough Road, will see pupils benefit from a range of facilities to suit their needs. This includes classroom suites with vinyl areas to support practical learning, a sensory “dark room”, practical teaching spaces including a domestic kitchen, a library, a calming room, and a main hall with a demountable stage.

The new build SEND school, which has been designed sympathetically to the needs of SEMH learning, has space for 64 pupils, with facilities for 16 primary-aged children across two ground floor classrooms, with the remaining 48 secondary-aged pupils split across two ground floor classrooms, and a further four on the first floor. The first floor also has an additional three classrooms for practical uses.

Multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard was behind the scheme, providing architectural services for main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, which was procured by the Department for Education (DfE) under the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC1) framework.

Joe West, associate at Pick Everard, said: “Working on SEND schools is always a privilege, with unique design applications and special consideration for the needs of a diverse range of learning.

“Creating an environment that is both functional and comfortable for pupils was central to the aims of the project, which should in turn aid the school in attracting and retaining students in the area.

“The construction technique employed on this project was a fully offsite solution, so thorough sequencing and planning was paramount to ensure all materials were delivered safely and successfully, as well as meeting the highest standards.

“We’re delighted to have worked alongside Bowmer + Kirkland once again to deliver this fantastic academy for pupils in the area with SEMH needs.”

Driving sustainability initiatives, Bowman Academy’s design includes a ‘fabric-first’ approach, which reduces the energy requirements of the building through measures including high levels of insulation, heat recovery and air tightness.

High efficiency boilers have been installed at the school, which will be run by the Community Inclusive Trust (CIT), as well as LED lighting with occupancy and daylight controls for resource management. The building also has glare control and sustainable natural ventilation, providing a low energy cost solution.

Additionally, the site includes a photovoltaic panel array, providing a ten per cent energy consumption offset from renewable technology.

Steve Waldron, contracts manager at Bowmer + Kirkland, said: “We have been working for the DfE since 2013 and are proud of the 73 schools we have completed, but specialist schools are unique in the enormous difference they make to the pupils and their families. We are delighted to continue our relationship with Pick Everard to deliver another fantastic facility which will improve the lives of so many young people.”

Cllr Deborah Taylor, cabinet member for Children and Families at Leicestershire County Council, said: “It is exciting to see the school completed and we’re looking forward to it opening and welcoming new pupils.

“The building of Bowman Academy part of a wider program to ensure provision is available to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Leicestershire, as close to their homes as possible.

“This includes both the building of special schools and creating provision in mainstream schools.”

James Ellis, CIT’s director of SEND education, said, “This is a very exciting time for Bowman Academy. SEMH is a unique sector of education requiring distinctive building design to support the delivery of specialist teaching and care for pupils.

“We look forward to welcoming children in Shepshed and the surrounding area to our new setting and supporting them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to help them thrive in adult life.”

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£1m demolition of B-listed school building approved

The B-listed main building at the former home of Rothesay Academy is finally set to be demolished, at a cost of nearly £1m.

Argyll and Bute Council planning officials have approved the authority’s own application for ‘listed building consent’ to demolish the Academy Road premises, which have lain empty since 2007 and have increasingly become a focus for vandalism and anti-social behaviour since then.

Only a single expression of support was received from the public, with no objections. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) were also reported to have raised no objections.

The decision was taken without elected councillors being involved, and a report said: “HES have stated that a listed building cannot be replaced when it is gone, and there is a strong presumption in national planning policy for their retention.

The former school was opened in 1959 and designed by David Harvey.

HES’ Buildings At Risk register describes it as a ‘very fine modernist building’ and the listing designation states: “The former Rothesay Academy is an important example of secondary school architecture of the 1950s in Scotland.

“Prominently located on high ground facing the sea with commanding views over the town, the aspirational design breaks away from the Art Deco influences of the inter-war period.

“It uses overtly modernist devices such as narrow supporting columns (pilotis), sheer glazed curtain-wall classroom blocks and angular projections to emphasise its balanced, asymmetrical composition.

“It is one of a small number of post-war school buildings of this quality in the west of Scotland.”

The report added that a survey had found ‘a series of significant defects, including penetrating damp throughout the building, failing roof coverings, failing rainwater goods, and structural defects throughout the building’s external fabric’.

It also said there were several areas where ‘poor workmanship’ had been contributing to the advancement of decay throughout.

“It (the building) has become a magnet for vandalism, fire raising and anti-social behaviour. Both the police and fire services have regularly been involved and are keen for the council to address the situation,” the report adds.

“Adjacent homeowners and occupiers have similarly raised concerns and have noted the poor condition of the property.

“There are health and safety implications and the council’s insurers have raised concerns that there may be a significant risk of injury or even loss of life from parties entering the building illegally.

“Security has been a key concern in light of the above and the council has spent significant sums securing the building with steel plates and appropriate signage.

“However, even this has not proven to be 100% effective with reports of vandals using power tools to remove the panels to obtain access.”

Source: The Lochside Press

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Belhaven Hill School’s new classroom building plan approved

A bid for a new classroom building at a Dunbar school has been given pass marks by East Lothian Council.

Belhaven Hill School approached the local authority’s planning department last summer about creating a new classroom building. Permission was granted and approval has now been given to a second application.

The revised plans, which attracted no objections from members of the public, show two classrooms, a plant and storage room, office, lobby, bathroom and storage room.

The planning officer’s report said: “The proposed building would be of a contemporary design; however, given its siting within the grounds of Belhaven School and the high stone wall boundary treatment to the north of the proposed building, it would be relatively well contained from public views.

“Furthermore, when viewed in the context of the size and scale of the existing buildings within the grounds of the school, the proposed building would appear subservient in height, scale and massing, and would not result in the over development of the area of land on which it would be sited.”

The scheme is part of a three-phase planned development at the school, off Dunbar’s Belhaven Road, which last year celebrated its centenary.

Phase two focuses on the extension and enhancement of sporting facilities, while the final phase looks to replace temporary structures with 21st-century classroom space.

The school counts artist Hugh Buchanan and journalist Magnus Linklater among its former pupils.

Source: East Lothian Courier

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Scape Deputy CEO says poor condition of schools is impacting student learning

In a letter to The Guardian published this week, Deputy CEO of Scape Group and former Cabinet Office construction chief Caroline Compton-James, said:

“The education secretary is absolutely right in identifying that inequality, particularly regional inequality, in our school system is “baked in”, and we should welcome any moves from central government that seek to address that (Education secretary warns of ‘baked-in’ inequality in English school system, 13 August). But there is a glaring gap in this conversation that the government needs to recognise: the very real and ongoing issue of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), which continues to affect hundreds of schools.

“Four schools in North Tyneside experienced months of disruption due to crumbling concrete and were still waiting for urgent repairs during exam season. Meanwhile, students at a school in Durham have been making do with temporary classrooms since a Raac-induced closure last September.

“While schools are doing all they can to mitigate the situation, the Association of School and College Leaders has expressed concern that these conditions may significantly impact students’ learning, putting their futures at risk.

“UK schools need full support from the government on this matter. Our country’s young people deserve to learn in buildings that will help them thrive, and though reactive measures such as granting A-level result uplifts will help things in the short-term, the root cause of the issue still needs addressing.

“Our schools and local authorities need the resources, skills and funding to repair and maintain their facilities in the long run. Without these, the inequalities that the education minister speaks of are only going to be baked in further. But with the right plans, support and urgency from the government, we can begin to redress the balance and ensure future generations all have a safe, inspiring environment to learn in, whether they live in North Tyneside, Durham or London.”

Source: The Guardian

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Nottinghamshire school buildings most in need of improvement to see £8.6m investment

The latest programme of school infrastructure improvements across the county, worth £8.6m, has been unveiled.

The investment is part of the Nottinghamshire County Council’s annual school building improvement work which will be designed and delivered by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between the council and SCAPE.

A dozen schools will benefit from a range of improvements, dependent on the needs for each school. The works will include roof replacements, drainage improvements as well as energy-efficient lighting and boiler upgrades.

Maun Infant and Nursery School, in New Ollerton, is one such school to benefit, and £135,000 worth of work will help improve parts of an old drainage system plus replace internal rainwater pipes.

Cabinet member for economic development and asset management, Keith Girling, said: “Investing in our schools’ infrastructure is vital. Young people deserve to study and learn in buildings which are fit-for-purpose.

“We know that some schools were impacted by flooding earlier this year, so those schools most in need of improvements to their drainage systems are being prioritised. We have also secured some government money to help towards this work.

“This latest programme of work will once again help school buildings be more energy efficient and help save on bills. It is all part of a long-term investment plan which has seen various improvements to 67 school buildings since 2021.

“Once again, the vast majority of this work will be carried out by local contractors, which is good news for the local economy.”

Sam Smith, cabinet member for education and SEND, alongside the council leader Ben Bradley, recently wrote to the Department for Education to get reassurance of its commitment to fund the council’s school rebuilding programme.

He said: “This annual programme to improve school buildings is an important investment in our children’s future.”

While the council has a duty to maintain school infrastructure, the day-to-day maintenance tasks are the responsibility of the respective schools. This collaborative approach helps to ensure that schools can address immediate maintenance needs and allow the council to focus on larger infrastructure projects and improvements.

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Wolverhampton sees completion of new Passivhaus school

Tilbury Douglas have completed construction of a school on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE), built to Passivhaus standards, near Wolverhampton.

The school, named Wednesfield Technology Primary School, has been completed on the brownfield site of the original Edward the Elder school to Passivhaus standards.

The school has been built to Passivhaus standards, maximising comfort while minimising carbon emissions.

The most important objectives for both the City of Wolverhampton Council and DfE was improving air quality and reducing energy use.

The Passivhaus classic design lent itself to this, as it prioritises building performance and low carbon materials.

Tilbury Douglas far exceeded requirements for air quality, as while they needed to achieve 0.6 Air Changes per Hour (ACH), they ended up with 0.48 ACH, meaning the air within the school will be high quality.

The demolition of the old abandoned school building did not include the caretaker’s lodge building, which was left alone in order to comply with the Grade II listed status of the nearby pub, the Vine Inn.

The technology nature of the school, however, provides students with technology-rich learning opportunities, with a digital skills framework to teach children digital skills and responsibility.

The CEO of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, Sir Mark Grundy, said: “We are thrilled to see the completion of Wednesfield Technology Primary School, a beacon of sustainable and innovative education within the Black Country. This Passivhaus-certified facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to providing state-of-the-art learning environments. The advanced energy efficiency and superior air quality achieved in this building align perfectly with our goal to foster a healthy and stimulating atmosphere for our students.

“Our collaboration with Tilbury Douglas and the Department for Education has resulted in a pioneering project that not only meets the highest environmental standards but also paves the way for future educational advancements. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this school will have on our community and the exceptional learning experiences it will provide to pupils.”

Source: PBC Today

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Construction works begins at Itchen Sixth Form College

Construction of a new two-storey teaching block has started at Itchen Sixth Form College.

The project, delivered by complete construction partner Stepnell on behalf of Itchen, will enable the college to replace six temporary classrooms that were in very poor condition, nearing end of life and inefficient in terms of their energy use. The new two-storey teaching block will provide students with seven much-needed new classrooms and an extra sports hall.

Preparatory works at the Middle Road site started in May, before building works began in July.

The scheme is jointly funded by the college and the Department for Education’s post-16 capacity fund.

Rob Speirs, regional director at Stepnell, said: “This is a fantastic project for Stepnell to be involved in and we look forward to the construction progressing. As part of our social value strategy, we will have apprentices and work experience trainees on the project and will utilise local suppliers and specialist subcontractors.”

Alex Scott, principal at Itchen Sixth Form College, said: “We are delighted to see work underway, on time for delivery early in 2025. The new building will enable us to further enhance the experience of our staff and students, replacing tired accommodation with purpose built, state of the art facilities. We are pleased to work with Stepnell and Clifton Projects to achieve this aim.”

The construction works are being managed by Cliftons Projects. Malcolm Wright, director at Cliftons Projects, said: “We are thrilled to announce the commencement of our third project for Itchen Sixth Form College, featuring the construction of seven new classrooms and a multi-purpose sports hall. This new build two storey 1,100m2 facility will be adjacent to the existing college buildings, enhancing the learning environment for students and staff.

“We are excited to support Itchen Sixth Form College in improving its facilities. This development reflects our commitment to creating inspiring and functional educational spaces.”

The project also includes upgrading the college car park and removing the outdated modular classrooms, making way for permanent and modern educational spaces.

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