The main focus of this £42.4M project was to make the school as efficient as possible, reduce “in-use” energy and allow future transition to net zero. This was implemented while following the requirements of the 2019 Educational and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

This secondary school will be developed to be a 6FE school for 900 pupils from the outset with the design allowing for easy future expansion to 8FE or 10FE allowing up to 1500 pupils.

The school has a fully compliant Sports England indoor sports hall, external auditorium, multiple sports pitches and a full MUGA, and benefits from having its own built in Special Educational Needs (SEN) block and outdoor secure space.

The mechanical and electrical strategy was designed to maximise passive energy savings, reduce energy use and allow the building to transition to Net Zero Carbon in the future.

The primary source of heat is by Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) removing the reliance on fossil fuels. The ventilation strategy prioritises natural and hybrid ventilation with mechanical ventilation reserved for specialist spaces. Roof mounted PV panels are also included with future space allowance to enable the school to transition to Net Zero Carbon in the future.

With environmental impact at the forefront of the design, KJ Tait provided early input into the process, ensuring that the developments are sustainable both in construction and use. KJ Tait and the wider Design Team are utilising whole life carbon reporting software to measure the project’s predicted embodied carbon and this has been used to inform the design.