Option 1a in detail: Provide more than 20 brand new classrooms in a single new school building on the existing site. Plus, remodelling 12 current classrooms into 6 larger classrooms and provide additional parking on unused land at Stratton School.
What this option involves
This option would add a single new building and remodel and refurbish part of the existing school on the current site. New build areas will meet the recommended Department for Education standards (also known as BB104). The remodelled and refurbished areas will be designed to BB104 standards, working within the existing building constraints.
It includes:
- one new single-storey teaching block providing more than 20 new classrooms, quiet, calming spaces, group rooms, dining space (could be multi-use space) and toilets
- new hygiene facilities, extra staff rooms and hydrotherapy pool
- a new sports pitch and multi-use games area (MUGA)
- remodelling and refurbishment of the existing 12 classrooms to provide 6 larger classrooms and storage
- improved on-site parking and drop-off areas to reduce local highway congestion
- removal of all the existing temporary buildings
The following image indicates where the new facilities could be provided on the existing site.
Cost: £39 million
When we expect the first pupils to be in new classrooms: Winter 2028/29
Estimated completion of all works: Summer 2030
Pros
- most cost-effective option (excluding doing nothing)
- phased delivery means current pupils can use new facilities sooner
- keeps all of the pupils together on one site, school buildings closer together and therefore easier for staff and pupils to move around
Cons
- refurbishing the existing buildings may mean some compromises; this will be further understood at the next stage
- some disruption during construction, although this can be minimised through phased delivery and fencing
Additional information
The improvement work associated with this option has sometimes been referred to as refurbishment. This will be addressed in more detail in the next stage of design, but what it will mean in reality for pupils is the complete renewal of the existing building to provide fewer (6) but larger classrooms, as well as storage space. This would involve stripping the buildings back, then rebuilding and reimagining the space for the modern needs of pupils and to meet modern standards. This type of change would make those existing school buildings feel like a completely new building.
An example of where this complete renewal work has already been done is Fulbrook School in Woburn Sands, where the exterior may look like the old building, but the inside is a brand-new school, with new classroom space, a new teaching block, a new sports hall and temporary classrooms were used for SEND pupils in the process. Further information is available about previous projects and minimising disruption.
Work will be carefully phased to minimise disruption, so the proposal could be delivered while pupils remain in the school. The new block will be built first, and the current numbers on roll will remain in the existing facilities. Then the pupils will move into the new building whilst the remodelling and refurbishment of the existing buildings takes place.
Additional pupils will not be added to the school until all the refurbishment and remodelling works are completed.
Although specific design elements would be determined at a later design stage, the work carried out to date shows that there is enough space for what’s needed, and there’s an initial cost estimate in place.
Read more about how we will work with the school and the contractors to minimise disruption to pupils during construction.