Developers False Promises

New Shrewsbury secondary school ‘needed to match development plans’

A new secondary school needs to be built in a town to cope with the demand of large-scale development, councillors say.

Concerns have been raised that an increasing number of families are seeing their children miss out on places at their preferred schools in Shrewsbury, with the pressure expected to mount even further in the coming years as more and more houses are built.

Bowbrook councillor Alex Wagner says he believed the issue stems from developers and Shropshire Council failing to properly plan for population growth, and selling “false promises” to buyers about availability of school places when new homes are built.

Two recent developments in Councillor Wagner’s ward – totalling 800 houses – recommend schools to potential new residents which have long since closed or have never existed, as well as fee-paying schools and one which is not even in the county.

Councillor Wagner said: “Large-scale developers don’t know Shrewsbury at all well.”One new site in Bicton Heath recommends the Wakeman, which closed years ago, and ‘Shrewsbury Secondary’ which doesn’t exist, to potential buyers. “Another statement recommends Shrewsbury School, which with fees of £9,000 per term isn’t viable for the vast bulk of residents, and Walton High School, which is 30 miles away in Stafford. The future-proof planning our town needs isn’t there. “Developers and the council need to be held to account on the big promises they’ve made on schools.”

Councillor Wagner said the current situation means many families are forced to go with whichever school has room – whether it is the best school for their child or not.

And with part of Bowbrook ward falling within the catchment area for the Corbet in Baschurch as well as town schools, Councillor Wagner said some children were being “pushed out of Shrewsbury despite living there and growing up there” as a result of the lack of places.

He said: “I’ve had parents in Bowbrook wanting the best for their children but being told they can’t get into their first, second, or third choice of secondary school.

“We all know how long waiting lists are, we all know how much development is planned, the council need to make sure developers aren’t selling a false promise to buyers and that they are held to account on local school needs.

“It isn’t about having just enough places if every school is packed to the brim, it’s about having enough places to give parents a real choice of what school is best for their children.

“We need a new secondary school in Shrewsbury to do that, there is no other route.”

The Liberal Democrat group has said it will be pushing the issue at a cabinet and full council meeting next month.

Councillor David Vasmer, Liberal Democrat group leader, said: “The Conservative policy in Shropshire is to develop and develop and worry about the implications and lack of infrastructure afterwards – it isn’t good enough and residents in Shrewsbury are seeing through it.

“We need solid commitments from the council on this now.”

The council says it has recognised a need for more secondary school places in the Shrewsbury Place Plan, published in 2019/20. It says: “The main secondary school pressures in Shropshire will be felt in Shrewsbury early in the next decade, with the capacity in a number of the town’s four secondary schools requiring expansion.

“In partnership with key stakeholders, it is proposed to develop plans for meeting the future demand for secondary school places in Shrewsbury.”

The council says a new block of five classrooms at Meole Brace School, expected to open later this year, will help to address school place pressures in the town.

Source: The Shropshire Star

 

 

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Aico Hosts Careers Day

Louise Cowling, Marketing Executive, and Luke Allwood-Reid, Finance Clerk,
at the Belvidere School careers day, hosted at Aico headquarters
The careers morning ran over two days with over 100 students in attendance. The event comprised of a tour of Aico’s facilities as well as fun, interactive job-related activities for the students to take part in throughout the morning.
The careers morning provided an opportunity for students to learn more about the world of work, hearing from Aico colleagues about the various job roles within a business, taking part in hands-on challenges relating to different roles and taking on team building activities.
Students also heard from Aico’s Managing Director, Neal Hooper, who talked to the students about employability skills and what employers are looking for in people. Neal also relayed the importance of values, behaviours and attitude in the workplace.
An integral part of Aico’s Corporate Responsibility Programme is supporting education. They work with multiple schools and colleges in supporting careers guidance programmes, providing advice on apprenticeships and offering an insight into the world of work. It has been a difficult eighteen months for schools, with students missing out on vital work experience opportunities due to the pandemic, and Aico realise the importance of offering alternative ways in which students can be supported.
During the Belvidere School career activity week, Aico provided resources for the school to run an Enterprise Challenge Day, where students could create their own businesses. Working in teams, their challenge was to design a life safety product and plan how they could launch this into the market. This gave students the opportunity to develop creativity, team development and presentation skills.
Megan Revell, Assistant Head (Personal Development) at Belvidere School commented of the visit: “On behalf of all the staff and Year 10 students at Belvidere School, I would like to thank Aico for providing us with such a valuable and insightful experience! Students hugely enjoyed learning about the inner workings of the business, the building tour had the ‘wow factor’ and students were engaged and enjoyed all of the activities throughout the day. They were perfectly pitched and accessible for all abilities.
“Aico have been supportive, flexible and welcoming throughout, we look forward to future careers and aspirations support from Aico. The team at Aico inspired, enthused, educated and entertained – the impact of our visit will be long-lasting.”
As part of the career activity week, Aico’s National Technical Manager, Andy Speake also attended the school’s Interview Day, where students had the opportunity to take part in mock interviews with employers, helping to develop key skills to benefit their futures.

Andy said: “It was great to be a part of the Interview Day, the students were really engaged. It was a fantastic opportunity for the students to gain real-world experience and feedback on interview skills. At Aico, we are keen to support young people in our community with their future careers, helping to advise and inspire.”

Source: ShropshireLive

 

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COVENTRY – School Rebuild Edges Closer

The rebuild of an entire school in Coventry has been recommended for approval by planners ahead of a final decision by councillors this week.

West Coventry Academy has drawn up plans for a new three-storey school building, sports centre and outdoor sports pitches as part of a major £38 million rebuild.

A new main entrance to the site on Tile Hill Lane will also be built, alongside a 158-space car park and improvements to the coach drop off/pick up area.

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Proposals have been described as an “incredible opportunity” by headteacher Ana Neofitou, with the funding secured from the Department for Education.

Council planning officer Darren Henry has deemed it acceptable as the bid moves to the final hurdle at a planning committee meeting on Thursday, August 5.

Mr Henry said the existing buildings are “coming toward the end of their life”, with the original school built in 1957.

“There is a need to provide better quality teaching environments in line with modern standards,” he added in a report.

However the council’s Conservation Officer Charlotte Stranks has objected, stating “only the highest level of harm can be attributed to this application”.

She said the buildings “are considered to possess a degree of rarity” and recent assessments found it was in “very good condition”, meaning she is “not therefore convinced that demolition is justified”.

A further 16 letters of objection and a petition of 33 signatures have also been submitted against the plans.

However Mr Henry said there may be sufficient public benefit which would outweigh heritage concerns, and has recommended approval.

A seven-point Public Benefits Statement from the school has also said the new plans will deliver significant investment to improve educational facilities.

A final decision will be made by a planning committee on Thursday, August 5.

If approved, works could begin this autumn ready for completion in spring 2024.

Ana Neofitou, headteacher at West Coventry Academy, said: “The Department for Education funded plans are an incredible opportunity for our students, staff and the wider West Coventry area.

“It has been fantastic for all of us to work with the project team on the detailed design and then see it come to life in the animated film.”

The secondary school and sixth form supports around 1,485 pupils.

A film and further detail on the scheme can be found on westcoventryplans.co.uk.

 

Source: CoventryLive

 

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Forgotten new School

Sammy Crook with Neil Parish MP 

 

A petition has been set up by the school calling on the Government to act

Neil Parish has welcomed a petition calling on the Government to build a new school for Tiverton.

Tiverton High School is asking the community to support its bid for a new build. The school was earmarked for a new building in 2009 under Building Schools for the Future, but after the scheme was scrapped Government has failed to include the school in its subsequent school building programmes.

The school is calling for the community to sign a petition to Government to push ahead with funding for the forgotten school.

Neil Parish, Tiverton & Honiton MP said: “We are still fighting for the funding.

“I think it’s a great thing that this petition has been launched. It is time for Tiverton to have a new school.

“The present school is in a floodplain. We now finally have rules not to build in floodplains so hopefully that will reinforce the need for a new school.”

He said anything people can do locally to push the case would be welcome.

“I will push as hard as I can in Parliament, but as yet, I have not been able to get the funding. We are working on it.

“It’s always quite difficult, especially when we’re trying to get the original sum of about £40million. We are now looking at ways we can perhaps do the school in stages and perhaps get £20million we can make a very good start.

“I think we have a greater chance of making that happen now.”

 

Source: DevonLive

 

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£12.5m Sustainable School for Irvine

ROBERTSON Construction Central West has been appointed as the preferred Tier 1 Contractor by hub South West for a new £12.5 million primary school in Irvine.

The new school, for North Ayrshire Council, will support the continued expansion of housing within the coastal town – with it running to 12 classes, as well as having 32 spaces for three to five-year-olds and 15 spaces for two-year-olds.

The build is being funded as part of the Scottish Government’s £2 billion learning estate investment programme, which aims to deliver high quality, sustainable, low carbon and digitally enabled learning environments that support sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Shaun Sands, project director for hub South West, said, “We are pleased to be working once again with Robertson Construction, whose experience and expertise will create a truly first-class facility for North Ayrshire Council. The school is due to open in August 2023 and, in line with the Scottish Government’s targets of achieving net zero carbon by 2030, will aim to achieve a yearly figure of 67 kwh per square metre.”

 

The building will be designed by JM Architects, with the Passivhaus design contributed by Glasgow-based ECD Architects. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sustainability work is being delivered by Atelier Ten, with civil and structural work by Blyth & Blyth.

rt Preston, interim MD of Robertson Construction Central West, said, “Our continuing relationship with hub South West will see the delivery of a sustainable new school for Irvine, which will enhance the learning experience of pupils and conserve and save energy during its operations. Over the coming months we will be working closely with our appointed design team to ensure that the building meets the needs of Scotland’s Learning Estate Investment Programme funding. This high-quality learning environment will introduce exciting outdoor learning spaces; integrate with the local community; create an environment to enhance wellbeing and promote inclusivity which will benefit both attainment and the environment while supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.”

 

Source: Project Scotland

 

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Sporting futures in Wirral

Two planning applications have been submitted to Wirral Council that could collectively deliver £4 million of investment into the sporting futures of young people in Wirral.

Birkenhead School is seeking outline planning permission for 33 high-quality four-and-five bedroom houses at Noctorum Field which is a private redundant school playing field off Noctorum Road.

The capital from sales will be reinvested into the school’s sports hall, Old Parkonians and Prenton Rugby Clubs and further expansion to the school’s transformational bursary programme.

Headteacher, Paul Vicars said: “Noctorum Field is an under-used asset that has the potential to provide Birkenhead School with a lasting legacy that will significantly improve the local sports facilities on offer for young people from across the Wirral.

“Without the sale of Noctorum Field with planning permission for residential use, our broader ambitions will simply not be realised.

“We hope both applications will be judged on their individual merits and that Wirral Council recognise the once-in-a-generation opportunity that they represent for young people in the borough.”

The school is also seeking permission to upgrade its existing sports hall and add an additional multi-sports facility to its Bidston Road campus.

The expansion and improvements mean that pupils, local sports groups and the community can continue to benefit from school’s sports facilities and satisfy their growing range of activities available.

Paul added: “We have an exciting vision for Birkenhead School. We have now reached a key milestone following consultation with the local community in 2020 and earlier this year; and I’m pleased that over 70% of responses to our January consultation supported our vision to invest in new sporting facilities.

“Sport, and the benefits to mental health and physical fitness, are key parts of our wide co-curricular programme, which provides an important balance alongside a demanding, but inspiring academic programme.

“We continue to grow as a School and are passionate about the opportunities these new facilities will provide for our students and the local community more broadly.”

 

Source: Wirrel Globe

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Councilor Safeguards Schools Future

Wetherby High School and Royds School both need urgent repairs (Image: Google)

 

Plans to rebuild Wetherby High School have finally been announced by a senior Leeds city councillor, following months of uncertainty about the school’s future.

While no official announcement has yet been released by the council, the authority’s deputy leader Coun Jonathan Pryor (Lab) posted the news onto Twitter, and claimed the plans would help “safeguard” the school’s future.

He warned, however, that the proposals are “challenging” and would first need the approval of the Government, but had the full backing of local councillors and school leaders.

While the proposals are still in their infancy, a statement claimed further information on dates and plans would be made available in September.

Coun Pryor said: “I would firstly like to thank the staff and pupils of Wetherby High School as well as the entire local community who have been incredibly patient and supportive as we have worked towards this solution which ensures a local school for Wetherby.

“It’s no secret that Wetherby High School has been in need of investment and I have been vocal about my efforts to attract Government funding. Although that wasn’t forthcoming I am delighted that we have been able to work alongside the school and the local councillors to find a solution that will safeguard the future of the school for the local community.”

The announcement follows a plea from Coun Pryor back in June 2020, when he claimed schools in Leeds faced a repairs backlog of £100m.

In his letter to Gavin Williamson, Coun Pryor claimed there was an urgent need to replace walling and windows at Wetherby High School but, due to the age of the structure, the block would need to be completely rebuilt. He added the council could fund half of this, as it could sell some of the land the school sits on, but stressed the council would still needed £13 million from government.

 

Source: Leeds Live

 

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RECYCLED ROBOTS

Sunnyfields Primary School Teacher Chloe Hoogwerf with Key Stage 2 pupils Oliver, Lilly and Lilly-Mae

Primary school pupils build their own robots from recycled materials in Drax initiative

Primary school pupils have built their own robots from recycled materials as part of an initiative by Drax Power Station to boost STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education and skills.

The visitor centre team at Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, worked with colleagues at Doncaster College and University Centre to develop the STEM box project.

A group of students aged between seven and 10 at Sunnyfields Primary School in Scawthorpe were given individual activity boxes containing a range of learning materials, games and resources to build their robots. The focus of the project was recycling and formed part of their school curriculum.

Drax said that during the Covid-19 lockdown, many pupils have struggled to engage with home-schooling and projects like the STEM box provide a valuable opportunity to transition back into the school routine and get students enthusiastic about learning again.

The robots were made from recyclable materials that can be found around the house such as bottles, tin cans and cardboard. They were designed to carry out recycling tasks such as magnetic hands to pick up metal.

Students also received a video recorded by the visitor centre guides to provide them with instructions. Once Covid restrictions are relaxed, they intend to deliver this introduction in person in schools, as well as providing a visit to the power station as part of the project to help students understand the important role that recycling plays there.

Drax’s head of sustainable business, Alan Knight, said: “By providing schools with these resources we hope to further students’ understanding of the importance of recycling and hopefully fire up their imaginations and inspire them to study STEM subjects by showing them the wide range of career options that are available.”

Liane Clark, from Children’s University at Doncaster College, said: “Children’s University (CU) are excited to share this fantastic project with our CU schools to create an enriching learning experience that will inspire our future working generation.

“Our partnership with Drax has enabled a unique learning opportunity, which we hope will encourage children to deepen their knowledge and have a positive impact on their future.”

Children at Sunnyfields Primary School were the first to take part in the project which the Drax Power Station visitor centre team plans to roll out to other schools across the region after the summer holidays.

Teacher, Chloe Hoogwerf, said: “The students had a great time taking part in the STEM box programme, learning about Drax, and building the recycling robots. Activities like these are so important as it really brings the subject to life and gets students enthusiastic about STEM, as well as encouraging them to start thinking about careers they might enjoy in the future.”

Drax said it has a long tradition of supporting education and helping to inspire the next generation of engineers by encouraging interest in STEM subjects. Earlier this year, it announced its Mobilising a Million ambition which aims to increase social mobility and provide levelling up opportunities for a million people by 2025.

As well as the STEM box project, during the Covid pandemic Drax launched a virtual work experience programme, renewed its partnership with Selby College with a £180,000 contribution to support skills and training, and provided over 1,200 laptops with free internet access to school pupils across the country to ensure that students don’t miss out on valuable learning during the lockdown.

 

Source: The Yorkshire Post

 

 

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What a Blast- Excavation commences for new US medical School

The blast area will be covered by these heavy rubber mats to prevent debris from flying into the air.

A bedrock blasting program required to excavate the site of the new research and education building at UMass Medical School in Worcester begins July 12 with two test blasts, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Vibrations from the blasts will be recorded by seismographs on the site and vibration monitors deployed in several locations across campus. The design and construction team will analyze data from the test blasts and make refinements to the plan prior to the initiation of a daily blasting schedule.

“This plan has been engineered and modeled by a very experienced team. We have a good idea of what to expect, but it’s very important to do the tests and take a look at how the vibrations propagate through the bedrock on our site,” said John Baker, associate vice chancellor for facilities management.

The foundation excavation for the nine-story building needs to be about 35 feet deep. Test borings confirmed that bedrock is present in about 50 percent of the area to be excavated. Most of the soil and loose rock has already been removed and hauled away. Blasting is the preferred method of bedrock removal for its efficiency and its limited impact on the campus, compared to using powerful hydraulic hammers to break the rock.

“A blast takes milliseconds, and will take place just twice a day,” Baker said. “The alternative would be constant hammering, by several large machines, working all day long. That’s far more disruptive.”

The blasting plan was reviewed and approved by the Worcester Fire Department, which issues the blasting permit. A Worcester fire official will be on site during all blasting. Explosives will be delivered to the site daily; no explosives will be stored on site.

To prepare the site for blasting, a crew has been drilling a series of holes into the bedrock, 12 inches apart, around the perimeter of the site. This “line drilling” accomplishes two goals. Much like perforations on the edge of a form or check makes it easier to rip a clean line, drilling holes along the perimeter will make for a cleaner sheer wall after blasting. Line drilling will also help re uce the vibrations traveling off-site through the bedrock.

When blasting begins, that same drilling machine will bore holes into the bedrock; the holes are then loaded with an explosive charge. One “blast” will represent a series of explosions, 10 to 20 in most cases, that will be detonated in a sequence just milliseconds apart to reduce the level of vibration created. To the observer, however, it will seem like just one blast.

The blast area will be covered by heavy rubber mats to prevent debris from flying into the air. The daily blasts will be four hours apart to give excavators time to load the fractured rock into trucks and hauled off site prior to the next blast. A similar blasting program was completed successfully during construction of the Albert Sherman Center.

“We are asking people not to congregate near the site to watch the blasts, since they will just be asked to move way,” Baker said. “The best way to watch construction, at any time, is by the webcam on the project page.”

Prior to each blast, certain areas of the campus adjacent to the site will be closed to pedestrians for approximately 10 minutes.

When blasting occurs in the southern section of the site, the covered walkway near the Lazare Research Building will be closed. When blasting happens on the northern section of the site, the covered walkway near the Sherman Center, the main entrance to that building, and the garage elevator tower will be closed. During all blasts, the utility tunnel under that section of the campus will be closed.

Shawmut Design and Construction staff, along with UMMS personnel, will be deployed in all of these areas during blasting, to manage the closures and protect public safety.

An audible warning system will also be used. Five minutes before each blast, air horns around the site will sound three times. One minute before the blast, the air horns will sound twice. After detonation, a long single blast of the air horns will signal all-clear.

“We realize these closures will be inconvenient, but they will be brief, and we ask for the community’s patience,” Baker said.

The First Road garage will remain open during the blasts; however parking and pedestrian access to the area close to the construction site will be restricted. The top floor of the garage already has a temporary fence in place. This week, similar fences will be installed on the first four floors of the garage.

Once data from the July 12 tests are analyzed and any necessary adjustments made, a twice-daily blasting program will continue through November. Vibration data will be recorded and analyzed after each blast, so the contractor can make adjustments if needed, since each blast may propagate differently, depending on rock density, spacing and depth of holes, and the size of the charge.

The new building will have research space for a projected 77 principal investigators and other educational uses. It is slated to open late in 2023.

 

 

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New Divisional Director at Spatial Initiative

Leading UK school building provider, Spatial initiative has announced the appointment of Emily King as new Divisional Director. Emily joins the company from Mid Group, a company specialising in modern methods on construction, where she was Client Solutions Director.

With a Masters’ degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Emily has previously held roles for leading construction consultants; Arup and Mott MacDonald. Earlier in her career she taught physics and was Head of Science and Technology at a secondary school, giving her exceptional practical insight into teaching and learning.

Alongside sustainable construction, Emily is passionate about promoting diversity in our industry. Emily is a Director of the Offsite Alliance and co-chair of the Manufacturing Workstream for the Construction Leadership Council.

Spatial Initiative, part of the ESS Modular Group, is on a number of Department for Education frameworks and to date has completed nine new schools and is currently on site or in contract for a further seven new projects throughout the country.

 

The company will help to deliver the DfE’s new school build programme for new primary and secondary schools across the UK over the next three years as part of the DfE Offsite Framework MMC I which demonstrates a continued shift in government preference towards modern methods of construction (MMC).

 

www.spatialinitiative.com

 

 

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