Building Development Programme
The launch of our Building Development Programme has involved all members of our community. We have announced that Phase 1 works are planned to commence in mid to late 2016 to renovate existing facilities and Phases 2 and 3 will provide us with a state of the art Sports Hall and Performing Arts Centre.
The Building Development Consultation held in late February was a great success with local councillors, governors, trustees, pupils, parents and neighbours all visiting our exhibition in the School Hall to view our three phase development plan. We were joined by the architects and planning consultants who were on hand to answer questions from our guests and the exhibition of plans and views of the new buildings was a great draw.
Participation in the programme has extended to our Sixth Form as Monica Hanna, Lower VI, who plans to study mechanical engineering at university was invited to attend an architect design team meeting on the Building Development Programme. This enabled Monica to experience the processes that go into planning and taking forward building proposals. Here she speaks about her experience:
‘On 3rd March I attended a meeting concerning the logistics of the school building proposals: including phases 1-3. Being an aspiring engineer, this experience was extremely fulfilling and informative as it gave me an insight into what ‘a day in the life of working with architects’ would entail. Unlike other work experiences, it meant a lot to me as I was able to look upon the development of the school in which I have grown up. Even though I have had limited experience in this field, the school encouraged me to analyse the progression of the project and this helped me understand the decisions which must be considered for this programme to be completed.
I conversed with two architects and a quantity surveyor. Throughout the discussion, they kindly informed me about any background knowledge which would aid my understanding and they generously defined any unfamiliar terminology. They made this experience an extremely interactive and personal one for which I am most grateful.
The discussion raised my awareness about the vast number of considerations involved in the project, whether it be economic, social or/and environmental. These included: the structural integrity of buildings, the design and analysis of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, efficiency and design of plumbing, fire protection and electrical systems, acoustic and lighting planning and energy conservation issues. I am studying Geography, Physics, Maths and Economics at AS level and I was blissfully surprised to find that in this one discussion all of my subjects had a major contribution to make. This further clarified my desire to become an engineer.
Through participating in this meeting, I understood the collaborative significance of teamwork. Each person had a different input in tackling questions raised during the meeting. They all had the motivation to make the school more advanced for both pupils and teachers as a whole.
I feel honoured to have been involved in this innovative project. This opportunity has combined my passion for the school with my various A Level subjects, in addition to my interpersonal skills. St Augustine’s Priory has given me a perfect platform on which to showcase and take forward both my academic and extracurricular life and with this development and its extraordinary team I know that the school will continue to nurture current and prospective students alike.’
Monica impressed all those present in the meeting with her questions, her composure, confidence and intelligence. We were so pleased that this opportunity was available to her and we wish her every success.
The building plans are still available to view and for those who wish to see more information, the link below will direct you to the Building Development Programme page on the website for plans and Q&A. http://sapriory.com/building-construction/
Categories: Sixth Form Whole School