Member Article

New Wirral school project opens its doors

A brand new £11m specialist educational facility bringing together two Wirral schools has opened its doors to staff and students.

Pensby Primary School and Stanley Special School on Greenbank Drive have combined to share one new structure.

The horseshoe shaped building, designed and project managed by Wirral Council, is the first co-located education establishment with SEN and primary in Wirral, and was completed by Wates Construction.

The new building will now enable two schools to share state-of-the-art facilities, including a swimming pool and hydrotherapy pool, an open-air games area, covered outdoor learning spaces and a sensory garden.

The eye-catching facility incorporates features to enhance its energy efficiency, including a specialist roof to maximize natural light and insulated glazing to retain heat.

The project was delivered by Wates in two phases. The first phase included the construction of the new building for Pensby Primary School, which staff and students occupied last summer and now, the recently completed phase two of the project, includes the relocation of Stanley Special School in Thingwall and the construction of a central hub that connects the two schools together.

Cllr Tony Smith, Wirral’s Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services, said: ’This is the first co-located special needs and mainstream school on Wirral and we are delighted, both with its innovative design, and with what it will mean to the children who attend.

‘We are particularly proud of the design, which was an in-house collaboration between Children’s Services and the Council’s architects. Working with Wates has been a positive experience, as they understood how important this project was from the start. This is a very special day for us all, and especially for staff and pupils. We wish them every success in their new building.’

Kate Brown, Head Teacher at Pensby Primary School, said: ’The children and families of Pensby Primary School have waited patiently and watched the school being developed over the last 3 years.

“What we were promised has been delivered – we have the most incredible learning environment you could wish for and the children are enjoying both the indoor and outdoor facilities we now have.

“Our school is a comfortable, welcoming place that encourages the best of us all. We are very proud of our school and delighted that we can now work alongside and with the staff and children of Stanley Primary School. The future for the school community is more exciting than ever.’

Tony Shenton, Business Unit Director for Wates Construction North West, said: ’Delivering the combined facility for Pensby Primary and Stanley Special School has been a significant project for Wates and we are delighted to have reached completion in time for students returning at the start of the new school term.

‘This fantastic new facility is perfect for 21st century learning and there is already an incredible atmosphere to the building which will undoubtedly enhance the experience for both the students and the staff.’

Wates started work on the specialist Wirral education project in June 2011, and throughout construction, used the project as a catalyst to creating local employment and training

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .