Fords of Blythe Bridge was appointed to carry out the design and build of two standalone classroom blocks at Thomas Russell Infants and Junior Schools, located in the village of Barton-under-Needwood.
The expansion of both school sites provides much-needed additional school places for pupils living in the village. Demand for places has increased as a result of the high quality teaching delivered and the growth of the village as a result of new housing development.
The new build has been greatly welcomed by the community, as it is enabling more pupils to be educated in their local area alongside their friends.
Both sites now have a standalone one-classroom teaching space, which includes a classroom, resource area and store room, as well as an entrance lobby and both pupils and accessible/staff toilet facilities.
The classroom at Thomas Russell Infants School has been designed and built with a traditional tiled roof and with a heritage style brick and plinth design to closely match that of the existing adjacent school buildings. As such, its sympathetic design blends in well within the school environment and wider historic village community.
Located adjacent to the school’s playing fields with wooded areas and open countryside to its borders, Thomas Russell Junior School has a classroom building which has been clad in an attractive Western Red Cedar finish, designed and built to reflect the natural environment and rural location of the village.
Both projects were completed within budget and ahead of time, with both school sites delighted with the end result and the positive impact the new facilities have brought for staff and pupils alike.
