Architects well schooled in academic needs after £40m project boost
ARCHITECTS Maber has delivered a £40m batch of schools in the West Midlands – the third secured by the practice as part of the government’s £4.4bn priority school building programme (PSBP).
The West Midlands batch consists of two new secondary schools and six new primary schools, each developed from a toolkit specifically configured to represent best value for money for the regional school redevelopment programme.
Maber, which has bases in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, as well as London and overseas, has collaborated with international support services and construction group, Interserve, on its first PSBP batch.
Utilising off-site construction techniques, Maber’s methods have seen the school buildings delivered within a much shorter timeframe than traditional construction projects.
The innovative Structural Insulated Panels system selected for the programme offers a fast-track solution to the school shortage problem by being scalable to suit the needs of different pupil rolls, as well as offering low running costs and emissions.
Moorgate Primary Academy in Tamworth was the first of eight schools to reopen in the West Midlands. As a result of the £2.4 m construction project, the school’s old buildings have been replaced with a new two-storey building complete with new classrooms and modern features. A dance studio is also included, which will be available to the public for community use.
Jonathan Williams, Headteacher of Moorgate Primary Academy, said: “As the sample school for this section of the PSBP, we were heavily involved at all stages of the design brief. The discussions we had were lengthy and I felt fully a part of them.
“The result is exactly what we aimed to achieve at the outset; a 21st century facility for learning and a school building that all associated with Moorgate can be proud of.”
Steve Basran, Associate Director at Maber, said: “We are delighted to be involved in delivering these excellent new facilities across the West Midlands and hope the added value designs provide quality teaching environments that allow learners to excel and have a positive effect on the wider communities they serve.”
