North West

The Barlow RC High School to be transformed in £11.2m project

Barlow RC High School redvelopment

The Barlow RC High School in Didsbury, Manchester is undergoing a major remodelling, demolition and new build scheme.

Under the project, the existing buildings will be modernised to complement the already completed new two-storey science building constructed in order to express the school’s Science Specialism.

Main contractors Cruden Construction and architects Ellis Williams are carrying out the £11.2m project, which began in April 2010 and is expected to be complete in February 2012. Funded by the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) investment programme, the project enables the school to provide students with a state-of-the-art education in an attractive modern setting.

The existing school buildings are being completely refurbished with all existing services stripped out and replaced. In addition, the walls will be replaced to better utilise the space available and ease circulation. Externally, the buildings will be completely reglazed and will either be finished with Sto render and rainscreen cladding to complement the new building or the original buff brick will be cleaned. The furniture and equipment of these areas is also being replaced to service the new Maths Music, Art, Design and Technology and Food Technology faculties.Barlow RC High School redevelopment

The new two-storey science block faces the courtyard and comprises glazed curtain walls combined with terracotta rainscreen panels. In addition, there is also a white render to tie in the new building with the treatment of the external facades of the old. A flat roof consisting of a single ply membrane covers the external wall on the courtyard side to form a covered colonnade and walkway around the internal elevation of the building.

Landscaping has included the creation of a landscaped courtyard, which has become a social heart for the school. This area includes a single-storey ‘pavilion’ providing a food servery, toilets and student services.

Head Teacher, Claire McCarron, said: “The new state-of-the-art science building and ICT facilities have delighted our students at the Barlow RC High School. These excellent facilities are long awaited. The children in this area truly deserve the opportunities the Building Schools for the Future project offers. We hope that the new facilities are not only good news for the pupils and the dedicated staff but for our local community, with primary schools, groups and other organisations benefiting too. With the launch of the new science department and the GCSE results that placed us as one of the top 3 schools in Manchester, these are certainly exciting times for The Barlow.”

The founding member of the Cruden Group, Cruden Construction enjoys an enviable reputation for consistently high standards of workmanship, flexibility and approachability. Extensive expertise in social housing, extracare, educational, leisure, industrial and commercial sectors is demonstrated through a comprehensive portfolio of completed projects throughout the Northwest.

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