This is the second phase of redevelopment on this site, with a possible third phase of works to come. The first element of the works comprise the formation of a new 16+ age specialist education facility, encompassing life skill teaching areas and additional assembly hall space, together with extensive external re-modelling of the external areas including formation of alternative site road network forming a new one way traffic management system, new MUGA and dedicated 16+ outdoor recreational facilities, site paths, swales and ponds as well as new playing fields. These works are to be complete by end of July 2010 allowing works to commence on other areas of the existing site.

Following on from occupation of the first phase of work we will commence the formation of new key stage 1 and key stage 4 teaching spaces and the construction of a new nursery facility as well as redevelopment of areas of the existing teaching spaces as part of internal re-ordering.

The existing teaching facility is to remain operational at all times, and careful and well considered pre-construction planning was needed to develop a phased construction programme dovetailed around the educational priorities of the school.

Unlike the initial new build works, this phase of development is to be predominantly timber frame construction, with low pitch roofs on exposed Glulam supports. Roof finishes are a mixture of standing seamed zinc roof and sedum planting on single ply membrane sheet. External wall finishes comprise render and cedar rain-screen systems.

In the nursery development it is planned to develop a Hempcrete wall insulation solution, which is understood to be the first use of this material in an education building in the County.

The complex nature of the building shape required a higher than normal degree of co-ordination of trades in the delivery of the timber frame manufacture and erection sequence—to the extent that in order to ensure strict compliance to the required programme, Speller Metcalfe took the unprecedented step of taking direct control of the design, manufacture and erection of the timber frame element. An added benefit of this step has seen the frame manufactured within 5 miles of the site using local labour and timber sourced from local suppliers, ensuring a truly sustainable approach to the supply chain production of the frame element.