St. Gabriel`s C.E. Primary School, Huyton

St. Gabriel’s C.E. Primary School, Huyton
School Building Update No.1
November 2009
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Superb New School Facilities For Your Child!
Welcome
... to our first update , produced to keep
you informed about a major new building
project here at St. Gabriel’s. The School
Governing Body has been successful in
securing the money required to completely
transform our Key Stage Two classrooms.
This is the first phase of construction in a
scheme to hopefully rebuild our entire
school over the next few years.
This edition focuses on frequently asked
questions and on the proposed design of
the new school. It is being distributed to
parents, carers and pupils, staff and
governors as well as to nearby residents.
If you’d like more information, please call
Rev Malcolm Rogers (Chair of Governors)
on 489 2688 or email him directly using
malrogers@blueyonder.co.uk Thank you.
Key Dates
July 2009
Funding Secured
(Approx £500,000)
July/August 2009
Cunliffe’s Surveyors
Appointed. Preliminary
design brief drawn up - Initial ideas discussed
with main stakeholders.
September/October ‘09
Final draft of design
submitted to Governors
and Senior Management
Team
November 2009
Planning Application for
Phase One Sought from
Local Authority.
January 2010
Building work begins!
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Why do you want to rebuild St. Gabriel’s Primary School?
Our School currently provides high quality education for over 200 pupils. However the school buildings present
many challenges to us and need to be brought up to date so that we can continue to provide this level of
education now and in the years to come.
What’s wrong with the current school buildings?
There are the five main reasons. Our existing buildings were all constructed around forty years ago. The main
challenge we face is that the school straddles Ellis Ashton Street. Over 800 ‘crossings’ take place each day of this
busy, commercial route which is often made even more dangerous by inconsiderate parking.
Not only is having two school sites therefore potentially dangerous, they cost a lot to run (two heating systems,
alarm systems etc). This makes St. Gabriel’s School one of the most expensive and in-efficient primary schools in
the Borough, money that could otherwise be spent more directly on our pupils. Because of its inefficiency, St.
Gabriel’s isn’t a very ‘green’ school. A new building would be have to comply and possibly exceed strict legislation
designed to protect the environment.
Maintenance of our current buildings is very costly and a survey of the existing brickwork (particularly around the
hall and also the lower classroom walls) shows that within just a couple more years, we shall have to replace
much of it. The cost and disruption of such replacements could be as significant as a new build.
The school building does not provide a high quality, inclusive environment for those with special physical and
other requirements. There are no disabled toilet facilities on the junior site, and flights of stairs can only be
avoided using external ramps. This is not acceptable!
Our school is cramped and lacks essential storage for equipment and resources. St. Gabriel’s continues to be a
popular school, and our projections suggest that this will continue. We want to provide a brighter, tidier and more
inspiring environment for your child.
What will the new school look like?
The design brief given by the School Governors to the surveyors and contractors is that the new St. Gabriel’s
School should be exceptional. We want the very best for your children and our pupils! This includes making the
school much safer by better controlling access to the site and to classrooms; providing ample storage space;
providing designated and specialist teaching areas for small group and one-to-one sessions; only using the best
quality fixtures, fittings and furniture; using natural light and ventilation; providing meeting rooms for parents and
carers visiting the school or attending courses; exploiting the latest technologies; reducing maintenance and
running costs and diverting and money saved back into resources for the children; making the school more
visually appealing; improving security and finally, providing new areas for staff and support staff to plan and
prepare.
The picture shown opposite is a photograph of a school classroom which will be similar to the new rooms in our
school. Notice the fitted cupboards and coat/bag storage areas (with integrated heating so that coats dry out
throughout the day). External classroom doors will have door access control, as will the entrance areas. Lighting
will come on and go off automatically (thanks to PIR sensors) and the rooms will each have a natural ventilation
system to circulate air.
Each classroom will have access to new toilet areas with new fittings for example eco friendly hand driers. There
will also be a designated toilet area for older girls.
Photographs and Plans
Above (left) a current key stage 2 classroom and (right) an idea of what we want our new classrooms to look
like, ready for artwork and resources.
Phase One
New Classrooms and Toilet
Facilities for Years 3, 4, 5 & 6
Temporary Sheltered
Entrance Areas to
Classrooms and School
Work will commence in January
2010 and will last about twelve
weeks. Firstly, classes 5 & 6 will be
transformed then classes 3 & 4.
During this period, pupils will be
taught in temporary teaching space
located in the hall. The staff car park
will be used by the contractors and
there may be other disruption.
Class 6 will receive considerable
additional support to make sure
their SATS teaching and preparation
do not suffer.
We are relying on the patience,
understanding and vigilance of
everyone during this construction
period to ensure work is completed
as efficiently and safely as
possible. Thank you for your
co-operation.
‘The Big Picture’ by Revd Malcolm Rogers
Over the next few years, the buildings and area around St. Gabriel’s School will be transformed.
Not only will the Infant, Junior and Foundation sites come together (on the current Junior site),
but the facilities and resources we currently provide will be significantly upgraded. The
transformation doesn’t stop there! We are hoping to re-model our existing Infant Building site,
making it much easier for our school, church, community and children’s centres to work together
and support each other.
We hope to install a new entrance into the church, near the metal artwork in the rear garden of
remembrance. This will provide disabled access, and a ‘welcome area’ currently where the vestry
is located. A new vestry could be built where originally planned, alongside the chancel.
Little Apples (the group that meets in St Gabriel’s Community Centre) will likely move into a refurbished part of the infant building, with greatly improved, dedicated play areas including a new
outdoor activity area. We are talking to other interested groups and agencies who may occupy
the additional space in the infant building. The work of the Apple Children’s Centre is thriving and
this could expand into newly refurbished meeting and family areas.
Part of our vision is to provide a new access road from Hall Lane, through to Ellis Ashton Street (a
one way entrance and exit route). This would stretch from the current entrance to the school
nursery, around the perimeter of the current infant site and back out onto Ellis Ashton Street,
opposite the current staff car park. We want to do this, so that we can provide much needed carparking for church, school and Little Apple’s visitors as well as providing for funeral & wedding
limousines which currently block Hall Lane when a service is being conducted.
This ‘big picture’ is of course very aspirational, and a lot of work needs to be done before we can
make it happen, however I wanted to provide you, at this early stage, with an understanding of
the direction in which we are travelling.
Please remember all of this scheme in your prayers. In particular, we are waiting to hear news of
the funding required to continue the school rebuild. We hope this news should be through early
2010.
Thank you for all your ongoing support and co-operation.
Rev Malcolm Rogers, Vicar and Chair of Governors, St Gabriel’s Huyton Quarry.