Countdown to Completion
Categories: Priority News
Week beginning 14th June: Various members of staff have been on visits to departmental areas in the new build and are returning both impressed and excited. With just one week to go until completion even the protective sheeting that has been on top of the newly installed flooring is being removed.
Week beginning 7th June: It may have been half term for teachers and students but with just over two weeks to go until handover, work has been continuing apace in the new build. From the photographs you will see how the decorators are moving through the building and various rooms are having the furniture installed. The floor in the Atrium will be laid this week.
Week beginning 24th May: Work continues at a tremendous pace both internally and externally. British Thornton should complete the installation of all furnishings in our Science and Technology departments this week. Cleaners are now working in certain areas and as they finish, these rooms are being sealed off ready for hand over. The entire project remains on track for completion on 23rd June.
Week beginning 17th May: Externally, substantial landscaping work continues with the northern tree line being extended and hundreds of shrubs being planted. The paving to the front of the school is also nearly complete. Internally, huge progress continues in many areas for example the Main Hall (with bleacher seating for 200 installed), the Dance and Drama studios, the Performance Space and Science laboratories to name but a few.
Week beginning 10th May: The Sports Hall is now virtually complete with floor markings, lighting, cricket nets, digital scoreboard and trampolining harness all installed. The Learning Resources Centre is currently having all of the book shelving installed. In the Atrium the floor is being laid, while the Courtyard also nears completion with benches and planters being added.
It seems an age ago when we first posted the information on the website regarding the school new build. It has been a fantastic fifteen months since then, during which we have seen the new school grow from an architect’s dream to what you see now – a state of the art school that will serve the children of Corby for at least the next 25 years or more.
So what’s happened during this period? Obviously, a huge amount of work went on in selecting first the architects and then the contractors. As you know, Interserve were successful. They were definitely the most dynamic of those who tendered and they shared our vision for what was actually required. We can confidently state that we made the correct choice.
We cut the first turf – in the company of Phil Hope MP and many other local dignitaries in January 2009. This is when our headteacher had the honour of putting the first spade into the ground to remove the first turf. David was so keen he broke the spade! That seems a long time ago now and, since then, many hundreds of tons of earth has been moved and a huge amount of work has gone on.
The school has met with the design team almost weekly since then and we have spoken to them virtually every day to ensure that we get what we really want and this continual liaison has proven fruitful. We can honestly say at present we are completely satisfied with what is almost now ‘the finished product’.
So, what are we actually getting? The answer would have to be, quite simply, a superb school that will beyond doubt provide the most up to date facilities of any school in this area. To give you just a flavour, we have:
- Superb Expressive and Performing Arts facilities, in line with our speciality as an Arts College – a theatre with seating for 100+, two huge Drama studios, a fully sprung 100sq.m. Dance studio, three Media suites, all fitted with the very latest Apple Mac ICT equipment, a complete music suite, consisting of five practice rooms, a fully fitted recording studio and two huge teaching rooms and finally, four fantastic Art rooms, all fully fitted and ready to go.
- A Science Department with eight fully-fitted, modern laboratories.
- A Technology suite consisting of its own ICT Suite, CAD/CAM room, Textiles room, two workshops, and two fully fitted Food Technology rooms.
- Seven cleverly designed, dedicated ICT rooms – for teaching ICT, but also for our Vocational Subjects – each of which have 30 brand new computers, fitted with tiered seating and work benches.
- Sports areas that are second to none in this area, with a huge sports hall, a CV Suite, astro-turf soccer pitches, tennis courts and we still retain three grass football pitches.
- Classrooms for Maths, English, Modern Foreign Languages and Humanities have all been fitted to the highest standard, each with interactive boards and projectors, brand new furniture, mechanical ventilation and many other super features.
- A highly successful Inclusion Unit, the Learning Support Unit, the Designated Special Provision Unit – all housed in purpose built facilities.
- A state of the art kitchen, serving food to both the main dining area and the 6th Form Café, with a shop selling rolls, soft drinks and other items.
As we approach completion, we intend to update this web page regularly, letting you know exactly where we are with the build and what is left to do.
So, watch this space and join the Countdown to Completion.
To view the latest gallery of new school photographs please click here.
To view the BREEAM report for the new school please click on the attachment at the bottom of the page.
Comments
Oct 22, 2009
The new building looks really really nice. canr believe our year missed out on going in it. but really good memories in the old building will be sad to see it go
Oct 22, 2009
the past few months i have noticed the school building geting bigger and better each time, it seems to me that we are going to have great facilities availible and i cant wait to get in there and explore the new build. what i love most is that it actually stands out and looks good as new, it looks fantastic compared to our old building.....
Oct 21, 2009
I think the new school looks absolutely amazing, i cant wait to see it finished!
Nov 29, 2009
New building looks very interesting, I think all staff and students are looking forward to moving into the new build. Three cheers for The Kingswood School :)
Nov 27, 2009
Looks absolutely fabulous, can't wait to get in there!! Roll on the opening date :)
Nov 22, 2009
can't wait for the new school to open. It looks awesome so far.
Nov 16, 2009
I'm a year 11 pupil at the kingswood school and so far i am majorly impressed with the improvement of the new building. i can't wait to go in it.
Nov 16, 2009
WOW! The new school looks amazing. I can't wait to see the masterpiece when its completed. I do feel a bit sad about the old school as i have had so many memories within the school. But the new school is a fresh start maybe thats just what we need.
Nov 11, 2009
The School Is A Tremendous Attribute To The Facilities We Already Have To Offer. Yet Again Kingswood Has Made An Unforgettable Achievement. I Am Very Proud To Call Kingswood My School.
Nov 09, 2009
WOW IT LOOKS WONDERFUL
Nov 04, 2009
Did my first visit to the new site on Monday and I am really impressed. As a member of staff I am really excited to be part of the new beginning for kingswood and as a parent I am really impressed with the state of the art technology and pleasant surroundings my child will benefit from. Cant wait!
May 11, 2010
I'm a year 11 student, and I have been watching the progress with much intrest. It's a shame I don't get to the visit the new school building but I hope the new students have as many good memories there as have I in the old building.
May 11, 2010
I Can't WAIT to go to the new school, ill be a little scared to go into such a new big place, but with my friends, my teachers and my drive to do well in this new academic year, i'm sure my new year, in a a new school, will be brilliant, im counting down the days :D
Mar 20, 2010
The school looks brilliant and i cant wait till we have a little look around.
Mar 02, 2010
as a past student and mother of a child who will be going to kingwood in sept im am very impressed with the progress and the upto date look , i am sad to see the old buildings go but also cant wait to see if they will let us look around before the term starts in sept
Jan 15, 2010
What a fantastic addition to the Corby infrastructure. First the academy now Kingswood. I cannot wait to have a look around when September arrives.