Birkdale School gets £2.3m funding boost
BIRKDALE School, one of Sheffield’s leading independent schools, has secured a £2.3m finance package from HSBC to support an extension and redevelopment project.
Work on Belmayne House, which will be the new home for its youngest pupils, started in September and is due to be complete by June 2014, ready for the 2014/15 academic year.
The building will house up to 120 pre-prep (infant) boys aged between four and seven and the property will include six class rooms and specialist facilities, including its own library, outdoor classroom, art room, music and drama room, children’s kitchen, music practice room and sick bay.
The new property will also create more space for pupils at the Clarke Drive-based Prep School, where the four to seven year olds are currently taught. This will also be refurbished to include new music, drama, languages and meeting rooms, in addition to a new library and instrumental music area.
Finance for the project has been provided by HSBC’s South Yorkshire commercial team in a deal led by senior commercial manager, Chris Alsop.
Birkdale School was founded in 1904 and today, the independent day school teaches around 800 pupils between the ages of four and 18.
Prep school head, Chris Burch, said: “We are very excited about Belmayne House, because it will provide state-of-the-art facilities for our pre-prep children, helping them to lay important foundations for future academic success.”
Mick Knowles, HSBC South Yorkshire area commercial director, said: “HSBC is pleased to support this new facility, which will result in a superb school for both pupils and teachers.”
