Source: City of Portsmouth
Children at a special school in Hilsea have had their learning spaces transformed with a sensory room created for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), thanks to work by Portsmouth City Council, and Vale Southern Construction Ltd.
Students at Cliffdale Primary Academy can now enjoy new and improved learning spaces, benefitting from extra classrooms, outdoor areas and a sensory room, thanks to an extensive programme of works at the school.
The capital projects service (consisting of architects, engineers, project managers and construction inspectors) from the council worked with Vale Southern Construction Ltd to construct two extensions adding new classrooms and staff facilities as well as smaller teaching spaces and a specialist sensory room. This development will be supporting students with SEND providing suitably specialist places which are also calming and encourage learning.
The architects kept a close eye on detail, amongst other things creating unique triangle patterns in the brickwork of the new classroom to represent the neurodiversity in the school and wider population. The interior of each triangle is unique to represent the neurodiversity in the school and wider population.
Outdoor spaces are particularly important at Cliffdale, supporting the development and wellbeing of the pupils. Small outdoor spaces have been created for each classroom as a calm environment to aid learning. An improved nature area has been created to support the existing wildlife on the site with trees and hedges planted to encourage further inhabitants.
To reduce the school’s impact on the environment, the new building has been designed to minimise energy use and has solar panels on the roof to generate electricity and a drainage system designed to reduce its load on the local drainage system in times of heavy rain. Large crates have been installed below the ground which can hold 30m3 of water or 30,000 litres of water which is about 375 baths and fill up with rainwater releasing it into the sewer network at a reduced rate to ease the pressure on the network.
Councillor Nick Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children Families and Education said:
“It’s wonderful to see the incredible efforts of our in-house capital projects team, along with contractors, in supporting schools that aid and nurture our young people with SEND. This collaborative initiative has resulted in improved spaces for young individuals at Cliffdale Primary Academy, providing essential environments for those who need it most.”
Sharon Burt, Chief Executive Officer at Solent Academies Trust said:
“We are absolutely thrilled with the improvements made to Cliffdale Primary Academy. The new classrooms, sensory room, and outdoor spaces provide our pupils with the environment they deserve to thrive in. The sensory room, in particular, offers a calming, inclusive space that caters to the diverse needs of our children. These changes, made possible by the collaboration between Portsmouth City Council and Vale Southern Construction Ltd., will have a lasting, positive impact on the wellbeing and learning of our pupils. We are very grateful for the support in making our school a place where all children can learn in the very best specialist educational environment.”
The wider Capital Projects Team provide many multi-disciplinary professional services including building project management, architectural & structural design, mechanical & electrical engineering, energy services and property and construction consultancy. If you have an upcoming building project, contact Patrick.legget@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.