Education

The Piggott School in Wargrave wants to improve its PE and maths teaching by building a new block
advertisement

Outstanding Piggott School plans to improve PE and maths teaching

By Jon Nurse
January 29, 2013

An outstanding academy hopes to improve PE and maths teaching by building a new block.

The Piggott School in Wargrave has submitted a planning application for a two-storey modular building to house maths classrooms, science labs, toilets, changing rooms, offices and a fitness suite. The school intends the fitness suite to open to the public outside of school hours.

The proposed building would replace two temporary classrooms which are in a state of disrepair, however such redevelopment on brownfield land is not permitted unless special circumstances can be stated.

The school’s application states: “This new block would best address the problems of PE and changing facilities, and the rationalisation of maths teaching.

“We have identified two old terrapin buildings that are nearing the end of their useful life. We want to replace these with a new modular building that runs efficiently and is better designed to suit the accommodation and medium to long term needs of the school.”

In a recent projection the academy in Twyford Road, which received an outstanding Ofsted rating in 2010, was predicted to house 1,362 pupils by 2016, 282 more than the current school capacity.

Its £1.2 million Sixth Form block, which opened last May, was also constructed in the modular method, with most work taking place off-site before modules were delivered and installed, by Foremans Relocatable Building Systems – the contractor proposed for the new build.

The planning application states: “We are mindful the planning committee may be concerned about this application for an additional modular building so soon after the completion of the Sixth Form centre.

“It is the success of that building project and the considerable enhancement made to the school that has led us to the conclusion an additional classroom block as proposed in this application will be a cost-effective and efficient solution to the needs of the school.”

An existing memorial garden would need to be relocated.

The first floor of the new block would hold eight maths classrooms, while two classrooms on the ground floor would be science labs, together with a fitness suite updating the academy’s ‘inadequate’ indoor PE facilities.

“We want to build on the inspiration of our successful Olympic year by offering up-to-date facilities for all of our young people,” the application states.

| Submit Comments | View Comments (1)