The £20m BSF project is providing 21st century facilities for Ormesby, the largest secondary school in Middlesbrough’s Education Action Zone, and Priory Woods, an all-age school for children with special needs.

Both schools will open in time for the autumn term, with Shepherd Construction continuing work on refurbishing Ormesby’s engineering building and demolishing the rest of the school buildings once around 1,000 pupils and staff have moved across to the new accommodation.

The 10,869m² project is providing each of the schools with their own dedicated teaching blocks linked by walkways to the ‘shared heart’ comprising a large atrium, Learning Resource Centre, dining area and therapy rooms. In addition, Ormesby’s facilities will include breakout spaces for group study and design areas to enhance the school’s engineering specialism. Priory Wood’s facilities include a hydrotherapy pool and dance studio.

Built to a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating, the new buildings incorporate a number of environmental features including a biomass boiler that uses wood pellets or chips from an sustainable source, permeable paving to minimise the risk of flooding, and lighting that only comes on when needed.

Shepherd Construction is scheduled to complete the whole project by spring 2011.

Dan Miller, Shepherd Construction’s build manager comments: “We are delighted to handover the schools and look forward to their doors opening this Autumn.  Our work is now concentrated on refurbishing the engineering teaching block to bring it up to a similar standard that will really enhance the learning environment for the pupils.”

 Councillor Mike Carr, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Children, Families and Learning, said: “The new school buildings for Ormesby and Priory Woods are wonderful teaching and learning environments and pupils and staff will soon be able to enjoy being in them for the first time.  

“My thanks go to Shepherd Construction for carrying out the work to an excellent standard. Middlesbrough’s BSF programme has been nationally recognised and all its school projects are on schedule to be successfully completed on time.”

Shepherd Construction was appointed as the main contractor by Willmott Dixon. Aedas were the architects and M&E was undertaken by Airedale.