Foremans Relocatable Building Systems, the UK’s largest supplier of refurbished Portakabin buildings, has handed over its second project on time and on budget at The Piggott School, a high-performing academy in Reading.
The scheme to expand specialist teaching facilities at the school follows the success of an earlier Foremans contract in 2012 to construct a sixth form centre.
The latest two-storey building was required to improve specialist teaching facilities for pupils, in particular the classrooms for mathematics which had been split over two separate parts of the school. The project also had to be complete in time for the start of the new academic year as it was replacing a number of temporary classrooms. The use of a refurbished modular building allowed the scheme to be constructed during school holidays and reduced the programme by around 70% compared to traditional site-based building methods.
The new facilities were built by Foremans from 44 recycled steel modules which were fully refurbished and reconfigured to create eight maths classrooms, a science laboratory, office accommodation, beverage point, disabled access lift, PE changing rooms, and a fitness suite which the community can use outside of school hours.
The modules were delivered to site around 70% complete with wall linings, partitions, M&E services, doors, and windows already in place. The finished building was handed over after just six weeks on site.
Externally, the teaching block was designed to replicate the sixth form centre in line with the school’s specific requirements. It has a blue and white colour scheme with The Piggott School emblem featured on one elevation, timber cladding, brise soleil and a canopy over the entrance.
Commenting on the project, Nadine Doble, Business Manager at The Piggott School said, “We were very impressed with the delivery of our earlier sixth form building and have a great relationship with the company, so Foremans was a logical choice for our next scheme.’
“As a school, we are very passionate about the environment and it really appealed to us that Foremans buildings are a highly sustainable alternative to new build because the steel structure is recycled. I am delighted to report that the building work did not impact on the day-to-day running of the school at all and that it was delivered on time and on budget – a key requirement for us. The finished scheme has been really well received by staff and students and the fitness centre is being highly used and valued by the local community.”
Foremans also installed a folding wall between two classrooms which has created a more flexible teaching environment that can be opened out for examinations or group activities.
The Piggott School specialises in modern languages and humanities, and achieved academy status in 2011. It is an OfSTED outstanding school.
Foremans has extensive experience in providing high quality accommodation to primary and secondary schools, further education and sixth form colleges, and universities. It offers a wide variety of modular building solutions to help meet the increasing and urgent demand for school places, from interim classrooms for short-term use to fully refurbished teaching blocks and extensions to existing school buildings.
The refurbishment and recycling of relocatable buildings is one of the most environmentally friendly methods of construction – helping to reduce carbon emissions, waste sent to landfill, and improving a building’s carbon footprint, with no compromise on quality.
For further information about Foremans’ refurbished Portakabin buildings for schools and colleges visit www.foremansbuildings.info, email [email protected], or call 01964 544344.
