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Crompton House School

Rochdale Road, Shaw, Oldham

Sector: Education

Completion Photograph

Background
bpArchitecture were appointed by Extraspace Solutions (UK) Ltd for RIBA Stage 3 and 4 on this project. We also attended during Stage 5 to review, discuss and inspect construction being carried out in the refurbished areas of the building and for key stages to the modular Teaching block.

Crompton House Secondary School currently provided 1120 school places for boys and girls between the ages of 11-16 with additional 6th form facilities on site. Pupil forecasts illustrated the need for an increase in Secondary School places throughout Oldham in order to meet future demand, the proposal involved expanding the school's intake from an 8 Form Entry to a 12 Form Entry Secondary School.

The proposed expansion increased the total ‘Planned Admission Number (PAN)’ of the Academy from 1120 pupils to 1680 pupils (an additional 112 pupils per year group). In order to support this increase, the number of classroom learning spaces was increased to deal with this shortage.

Furthermore, some of the classrooms in use were either unsuitable in terms of size, or were located in areas not easily accessible due to the age of the existing buildings. Capacity issues needed to be addressed in addition to provision of additional learning spaces in order to enhance operational efficiencies across the school.

During design development and Planning Discharge, we were also asked to look at the External Works fdacilities and layout to improve circulation around the school, a complex sloping site with many levels.

Design
bpArchitecture were appointed to discharge conditions of original Planning Application and produced drawings and submited them for Planning Application at Stage 3.

bpArchitecture were appointed via the Contractor to produce all Stage 4 drawings for Factory and on Site works, this included amendments to the Design proposals to repond to changing School Requirments as the proposals submitted for PLanning were at high level stage 2 in reality, with very little consideration of regulation requirments as part of the original design.

The school wanted to adopt a hands on approach during the design development and monthly meetings took place with the Head, Deputy Head and School Business Manager to discuss the development of the design, layouts, appearance, selection of materials and finishes, members of the Contractors team were present but we as Architects took the lead in design, with the QS advising on budget compliance.

Facilities

Teaching Block : 3,360m2 Value £3.6m
Erection of a three-storey teaching block over the existing multi use games area (MUGA) using modular construction. The modular units were factory constructed at the same time as the foundations and groundworks were being carried out on site, therefore saving valuable construction time.

The external brick cladding and curtain walling were installed at the same time as the internal fit out was being carried out.

Design Technology teaching suite, Food Technology teaching suite, 8no English classrooms, 12no Maths classrooms, SEN classroom, Exclusion class. all of the standard classrooms were designed for smaller class sizes.

Ancillary facilities were provided including Student HUB, Offices, Matrons room, Interview and Small Tutorial rooms and resource stores.

The new Teachning block incorporated digital access and a Plaza space to allow students to socialise and enjoy the fantastic campus facilities outdoors that this school has to offer.

We did some redesign of the layout of Staircases, Means of Escape, Domestic Science and Technology Classrooms to reflect feedback from the Schools Department heads on the original Client layout and Building Control issues.

We also redisigned the layout of all of the toilets and washrooms as the layouts did not deal with the School Equality Act and changing needs of pupils.

Clegg Block : 350m2 plus 120m2 - Value £852,000

Erection of a single storey extension to Clegg Block constructed on site. This doubles the dining spaces available, with glazed view of the garden. The extension also included an extended kitchen to double the size of the kitchen, which was stripped out and fully refitted to provide modern facilities. Queue studies and servery layouts were carried out to determine the final layout to the hot and cold food servery, to improve throughput at peak times. The dining area also featured an external picnic area for use in the summer.

Selwyn Block: 440m2 Value £525,000

Internal remodelling the existing Selwyn Block constructed in the 1980's. At ground floor a refurbished Drama suite and stage were provided.Half of the first floor was remodelled to provide three larger science labs with teaching walls to accomodate 32 pupils per class with a smaller science lab catering for 24 pupils and a smaller classroom catering for 30 pupils. As well as a Science prep room for staff.

Milne Block : 755m2 Value £900,000

Internal remodelling to the existing Milne Block constructed in the 1960'.The works involved reconfiguration of the layout to 70% of the ground floor and all of the first floor to provide an:-

Art department incorporating classes for general art and painting, Media, 3D Art, A level Art, Pottery and a general classroom.

Modern Foreign Languages classes incorporating enhanced acoustics.

8 no Humanities classrooms to accomodate 28 or 36 pupils to allow for timetabling different class sizes and combinations.

Becuase of the age of the building and the standard of the facbric before any work took place on site we were commissioned to produce a report identifying what elements of the classrooms walls /partitions, doors to the corridor and removal of glazed screens needed to be carried out as part of the works to upgrade the building to meet the requirements of current part B for Means of escape improving pupil safety at the same time as improving the teaching accomodation bringing it up to acceptable modern standards.

MUGA
Construction of a multi-use games area (MUGA) to the rear of the existing sports hall and associated soft and hard landscaping. Located on an unused grassed area behind the existing sports hall.

External Works: Value £720,000 inc MUGA

An exisitng redundant admin block was demoished to the front of the school to make way for a new Car Park to provide 42 car parking spaces and an accessibility ramp as well as reconfigured secure fenced boundary providing access to the upper part of the school.

A new rear access gate for vehicles and pedestrians was added to provide student access from a residential estate to the rear. This provided 40 parking spaces. Works to the rear included bring an accessible footpath from the rear gate, past the 3G sports pitch and up a ramped and separate stepped access footpath to the main school concourse area. A considerable feat.

Works were also carried out to the end of the new Teaching block to put in a stepped sleeper seating area to overlook the schools Rugby / football pitch, to improve facilities for pupils and parents to watch sports events. A large concouse was put in around the new Teaching block including a picnic area for students. Ramps were put in to provide access to the upper concourse, Selwyn block and alterations to the bottom of an existing external stair to the Milne block. In addition an external stairecase was put in on the upper concourse to rise a half a level to provide an Entrance at First floor. The ground floor at this point was cut in one half level down with a new retaining wall to three sides of this area.

An external ramped access and picnic area was put in to the rear of the Dining room extentions, with external access rout to provide deliveries to the kitchen extension.

A new MUGA was installed outside the exisitng Sports Block, a cut and fill excercise was required to produce a level platform for the MUGA

Sustainability

The new teaching block was fitted with Solar panels to the roof to provide at least 20% of the electic load required for the Teaching block from renewable means. 

 Air Handing units were fitted to serve one IT classroom per floor and an upper suite of three classrooms whcih would be used for pupil exams.

Classrooms were fitted with high spec suspended ceilings with an excellent reverberation factor as well as carpet tile finishes which help to keep noise levels down and provide comfortable teaching space.  

3D model view to side elevation

Finished School view from the Opposite Side elevation

3D model view

Rear View of the Teaching Block and Sleeper Seating - just complete

Status: Complete 2020, 2021, 2022
Value: see below
Type: Secondary School
Contract: Design & Build
Client: Oldham Borough Council
Architect: bpArchitecture
Project Manager: Unity Partnership /Oldham BC
Quantity Surveyor: Extraspace Solutions
Structural Engineer: Extraspace Solutions [Modular] and Edge Structural Design Oldham[on site]
M&E Consultant: SI Sealy
Contractor: Extraspace Solutions

Project ref: 18-082 


Teaching Block

Clegg Block