Our New Build News
January 2011
The phasing plan is complete and agreed. There are some key moments in the final phasing plan, and so I have described them in two ways, a general timeline and from the viewpoint of the children.
December 2010
Plans are shared with parents at the Christmas fayre and planning permission is sought. Children’s services explain that the funding is not yet secure; final approval will not be forthcoming until April.
November 2010
The phasing plan is agreed and final costs are agreed with the school, children’s service, nps and Kier group. The head and a senior teacher visit an outstanding junior school in St Albans and share insights with all staff.
October 2010
Four options for the phasing of work over four terms are discussed. No agreement is reached on the phasing, so it is agreed that a further option will be considered and priced. Mobile costs are again discussed.
September 2010
Alternative options for classrooms whilst the building process is taking place are presented to the headteacher and governors. The cost of leasing mobiles is discussed, but dismissed as too expensive.
August 2010
Kier group, NPS and the headteacher meet at the school to discuss details of the phasing for the building. Kier and NPS state that the central area can no longer be protected whilst the building process is undertaken.
July 2010
The headteacher concludes the study of the built environment, professional development and the culture of leadership. He presents the vision of the school to staff and governors.
June 2010
The architect designs the new building around the agreed principles. The headteacher visits the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment for a discussion of the plan. The plan goes through four iterations before settling on a ‘figure eight’ design attached to the existing corridor and drama studio.
May 2010
The headteacher reconsiders the assumptions about classrooms within the plans. The paired classroom assumptions are reconsidered and a new shape and relationship to one another is designed. The new design is taken to staff for discussion, and then to governors and NPS. The principal of the design is agreed, as it resolves the central atrium issues and is in budget.
