Chadsgrove is a Special School which caters for approximately 137 pupils aged 2 years – 19 years of whose Special Educational Needs arise from their physical disability, approximately 80% are wheelchair users.
Due to the increase in numbers there was a need to create a new teaching block for use by PMLD (Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties) students, to allow sufficient space for effective teaching and alleviate crowding in the current teaching areas.
This extension would provide two new PMLD classrooms together with a BMA (Bathroom Management Area).
As the proposed extension would be situated on an existing hard play area, the project also included the provision of a replacement hard play area, with additional associated paths, landscaping and planting as required.
The works included:
- The creation of a new teaching block for the use of pupils with PMLD in an area identified to the rear of the school which was linked to an existing block. The extension consisted of two classrooms, bathroom management facility, communal space and storage.
- The remodelling of the existing classroom, a new corridor wall, external classroom door, storage and new practical sink area.
- The creation of a walk through link corridor to the new block extension.
- Landscaping of outside hard play area and routing of paths around the extension block.
New Extension
The new extension comprised a single storey pitched roofed extension housing the two classroom bases, BMA, storage area and link lobby, construction included new foundations and drainage, a sub structure with a cygnum timber frame roof, steel beams, brickwork and blockwork, aluminum windows and frames, doors and frames, hygienic wall lining, vinyl flooring, suspended ceilings, fixtures and fittings, sanitaryware, plumbing, all decorations and M&E including fire and intruder alarms, door accesses and lighting controls.
The two new PMLD classrooms are equipped with room covering ceiling hoists and white boards. The Bathroom Management Area includes storage areas for the support equipment vital to the pupils.
Refurbishment
We reconfigured two classrooms to create a quiet room and additional storage, this included:
- Construction of new corridor wall
- New cloak area with bag storage
- New internal and exterior classroom doors
- Removal of an existing kitchen and replacement with a new one
- Removal of toilets
- New lighting
- New suspended ceiling
- Removal of the three single pane windows and infill of two
- Cutting of external wall to form the new link connection
- General decorations.
External Works
Due to the nature of the extension works the existing external area is at a lower level and is reached via a ramp. Water has historically collected there so re-organisation and careful drainage planning of the space was undertook to address the issue, we also created new soakaways.
The level of the hard play extension remained at its current level approx. 0.8m below the existing upper path, and was enlarged in the direction of the sensory garden. We created a new surface to replace the area lost under the new extension which accommodated a Boccia court playground. Other works included a new fence and soft and hard landscaping.
The works were phased to work around the requirements of the children, the internal refurbishment of the classrooms took place during the summer holidays.
All works were undertaken with Arden acting as Principal Contractor.
For more information about our construction services, please take a look at our building construction services page.
Project:
Chadsgrove School Extension, Alterations and External Works
Client:
Chadsgrove School, Worcestershire County Council/Place Partnership
Arden Construction – providing construction and refurbishment services in Warwickshire and the Midlands since 1992
