New £4.5m extension meets growing demand for school places
A £4.5m project to provide space for 150 more pupils has concluded on schedule, despite coronavirus restrictions.
Dean Trust Ardwick has served the local area since 2015 and was originally built with space to accommodate 1,200 pupils.
However, the school identified the need to extend its existing learning environments to take on more pupils from Ardwick.
A report by Ellis Williams Architects, designers of the project, revealed that the existing site fell short of the Government’s mainstream school requirements by 400 sq m and, in response, The Dean Trust appointed Bolton constructin group Seddon to extend the school estate to increase capacity to 1,350 pupils.
Seddon has constructed a new two-storey teaching block and extended the current dining area to allow for 120 more pupils. The project also included the refurbishment of existing classrooms and modifications to landscaped areas for parking.
Construction began just before the national coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, and continued as planned throughout the lockdown.
Social distancing practices and improved hygiene measures were put in place to protect Seddon, the faculty and the children of key workers who attended throughout.
Work concluded on time in November, with the finished buildings and refurbished spaces handed over for staff and pupils to enjoy.
Tarun Kapur, chief executive of The Dean Trust, said: “Working in partnership with Manchester City Council, this project has supported the growing need for school places in the city.
“The development will provide additional accommodation both for our pupils and staff, as well as for the wider community that it serves. It will enable local children to attend a local school, delivering a first-class education and learning environment which, we believe, the community rightly deserves.”
John Shannon, divisional director at Seddon, said: “This project will allow the school to provide places for more local children than ever before. High-quality schools are vital for growing communities, while creating opportunities for young people to thrive and forge their futures.”
The new accommodation will help Dean Trust Ardwick meet demand for school places, which continues to grow across all wards in Manchester, as the city’s population expands in line with the creation of new homes and job opportunities.
At the 2011 census, the population of Ardwick was 19,250, but significant investment into the area – driven in large part by the adjacent Mayfield Strategic Regeneration Framework – means that this figure is likely to increase exponentially.
