Nunthorpe School - Guisborough Road, Middlesbrough.
Buildings Development Update 2007
Following on from a very busy and productive 2006, this years development programme had been firmly based on the continuation of the Schools desire to improve the site for students, staff and visitors.
Our priorities during the year were to prepare for the Sixth Form build which started in July and also create the E-Learning zone which in itself had numerous knock-on projects around our school site.
In order to prepare for the E-Learning zone which was to be sited in the old staff room we had to first of all create a new staffroom (now called the Central Staff Rest Area), this meant ripping out the old Library, seem below:
Once we had a blank canvass we decorated the entire room, fitted new carpet, revamped the kitchen and installed the existing staff room furniture, seen below:
Following the creation of the new Central Staff Rest area we then had the opportunity to re-site the LRC (Learning Resource Centre), which was to be moved to the existing Careers office - which in turn was to be moved to a new location.
The new location for this was an unused toilet block which had to be completely ripped out with plumbing capped off and taken back to it's source, sinks/cubicles removed, electrics installed, full decoration, floor screeded and new carpet fitted. All the furniture was then installed and the job was complete.
Now that the Careers office had been moved we could start on the LRC, this was a quite simple job with a double door being blocked up, the existing entrance having a new door fitted, full decoration and shelving being installed to the majority of the walls. Once the furniture was in place and books brought in the New LRC was up and running, see below:
The next job was the E-Learning zone, this was a huge job which involved specialized tradesmen therefore going out to tender. The winning contractor was Computer Doctor North-East and they wasted no time in getting started. Working in partnership with the our site team the Computer Doctor had certain deadlines that had to be met in order to get the Zone complete for the start of the new September term.
Before the summer break the site team ripped out the Staff kitchen and quiet area, this was then made good; our I.T department then had the opportunity to move out of their existing office (located in the staffroom) and move into their new office. See below:
Once complete our site team then got to grips with ripping out the old technicians room. See below:
The next stage was to completely remove everything out of the room in order to give a blank canvass for the Computer Doctors.
We ripped out some old wooden ceiling panels and replaced them with a new suspended ceiling (supplied and fitted by JHH).
As part of the E-Learning build we knew we still had the Quad area to be revamped in he same style as previous developments. With this in mind and the room now completely empty this was the perfect time to have a new doorway installed to the quad, ripping out an old window and replacing it with double doors. We also took the opportunity to block up the existing windows and door (this was done for better management of the new zone and create fewer glares on the new computers). See below:
We also took this time to make good all of the walls in the zone and completely decorate the area knowing that all existing works did not interfere with any of this.
With the walls taken down, the carpet removed, the decoration complete and the ceiling replaced it was now time for the Computer Doctor to take over. The first job was to install the raised floor, which would eventually house the wiring for all of the teaching area. The beams were laid and partial boarding screwed down, as seen below:
Once the boarding was down the wiring was installed and supply boxes positioned in a grid pattern which would determine the layout of the teaching spaces.
Following this stage we could then install the bespoke banister and ramps leading onto the raised platform, which in turn was followed by the fitting of the new anti-static carpet, covering the entire room.
Due to our desire to make this environment as appealing as possible the Computer Doctor then set about building sixty bespoke computer desks which would house the screen on a folding lid, thus giving dual purpose teaching spaces. An example of these desks can be seen below:
Whilst waiting for the desks to be manufactured we took the opportunity to have the Interactive whiteboards installed along with the air conditioning units. With such a large room and sixty workstations we had to have three units which could cope with the use. We also used this time replace the main entrance doors and also the technician's doors, as pictured below:
Although slightly delayed, the E-Learning Zone was completed and opened for use in October, 2007.
The photo's that follow show the completed results.
As mentioned earlier as part of the E-Learning development we took the decision to re-vamp the quad area next to the zone, this would give extra multi functional space, create a natural link from the zone to the new LRC and also give more social space during break and lunchtimes.
Our site team went about demolishing the existing space, clearing the debris, making good the ground and walls before the decorators came in to decorate and white wash all walls. As seen:
Clovis canopies (who erected our previous canopies) then started to install the new structure, starting with the steel, guttering and finally the canopy. A window was replaced with a new door (giving greater access from the corridor), picnic benches built and litter bins dotted around. The whole process of erecting the canopy took two weeks, the results of which can be seen below:
Whilst talking about Quad developments it is worth pointing out another project which was carried out during the summer in the form of another serving hatch from the main school kitchen.
With a lack of space within our dining facilities for the volume of students using it we took the opportunity to replace an existing window from the kitchen looking onto our Main quad and installing a shutter and worktop to create an extra serving point. This area is proving a great success with the Caterers using this as a Jacket Potato stall, along with quick grab items such as sandwiches and fruit. See below:
Another project that was taken on was the final replacement of all old lockers. This completes our locker scheme and gives every student within Nunthorpe School a brand new locker. Examples of these lockers can be seen below:
Other projects that were taken on were the re-organisation of the NLG corridor, decoration of dilapidated classrooms, new room dividers in the art department and the upgrade of the calorifiers within our boiler house.
Sixth Form Build
As you will all be aware these are exciting times here at Nunthorpe with the introduction of a collaborative Sixth Form centre between Gillbrook School, Eston Park School and ourselves.
This is a £12million build incorporating two centres, one to be situated at Nunthorpe and the other to be situated in-between Eston and Gillbrook.
The tender was won by Carillion.
The centres are pretty much identical giving the students the feel of one location. With an impressive hub structure to the front of each build (housing the multi purpose hall) and a curved edge to one side of each, the structures are contemporary yet purposeful in what they aim to achieve.
I have compiled a number of photo's showing the various stages of this build, from the groundwork's to the foundations, from the steel to the brickwork and so on.
I have given a very brief description of each photo and I will continue to update these photos as the build goes on.
Completion of the build is August 2008 with our first students due September 2008.
Our first photos show the ground breaking ceremony held at the Normanby site with representatives from the LSC, the local Authority and all three schools with two students from each being the centre of attention.
Before any work could start on the Nunthorpe site Carillion had to create a new site entrance from the existing bypass, this was done in conjunction with the Highways department as well as the environmental health department. Once the traffic calming procedures were in place and the road constructed work could commence on the Sixth form build.
Here we see the diggers arriving and starting on the removal of earth to create the build site. All Earthworks carried out by John Wade contractors.
Following the introduction of a site boundary the next task was twofold, firstly to level the ground, put the hard surface down and begin footings for the foundations.
Secondly, we had to erect the site fence and move our existing mobile classrooms off the build site and onto the tennis courts. This was a massive risk moving the classrooms as they were so old and dilapidated. Luckily the job was sub contracted out to Wernicks who went about the job in the space of one week. As seen on the photo's the mobiles were split into sections and then hoisted (with all furniture still inside) onto the tennis courts. They were then attached back together; the roof made good, electrics reinstated and new entrance ramps and fire exits installed.
With the mobiles moved, the ground prepared, the drainage in place and the site cabins installed the foundations were poured, seen below. This was then followed very quickly with the first phase of steel erection (which was the straight section of the building).
The second phase of steel was the large curved section of the building. As seen:
As soon as the main steel was up Carillion went about installing the roof, as seen below,
Work then began on the brickwork (which was contracted out to PJS Brickwork)
Whilst the brickwork continued the first floor and ground floor slabs could be laid. Each process involved working through the night with teams floating the floor off - this was quite a noisy procedure however absolutely necessary to progress the build at pace.
I have added just a few more photos which show a couple of different elevations of the building and also the start of the car park to the Sixth form centre.
This is all work carried out up to November 2007, I shall be updating this website at regular intervals throughout the build.
