Objective
Cliffdale Primary Academy, located in Portsmouth, is a school for pupils aged 4-11 with complex learning difficulties. In June 2019, Mountjoy completed Phase 1 of a series of internal refurbishments within the school, bringing areas of the building up to standard and enlarging specific learning areas ready for the new term. The works were valued at £250k and were completed in August 2019.
In June 2022, Mountjoy returned to Cliffdale Primary Academy to complete Phase 2 of the works in a new contract worth £210k. The aim of the works was to convert three separate rooms, that were originally a library and IT suite, into one large classroom, with an additional two small rooms that would function as a cupboard and WC.
Solution
The works involved:
- The demolition of internal walls
- The formation of new openings for external doors and rooflight
- The replacement and enlargement of external windows
- New internal stud partitions
- Suspended ceilings
- IPS ducting and sanitary fittings
- Internal floor and wall finishes
- The relocation of existing local electrical board and significant modification of electrical systems to suit new layout.
- Significant modification of existing mechanical system including heating, ventilation, hot and cold water to suit new layout.
- The installation of new cupboard and WC along with associated plumbing works
- Removal of internal water pipe and fitting of external drainage
- Fitting new double doors in hallway to replace temporary doors that were fitted during phase 1
- Creation of external drainage that ran through the school’s playground
The school was occupied by staff and students up until the start of the summer holidays at the end of July; as a result, safety was an integral part of planning the works. We used solid hoarding and fencing to secure the affected areas. To minimise disruption for staff and pupils, the noisiest tasks - such as drilling through the concrete floor - were completed out of school hours.
The final handover for the project was on the 26th August 2022, in time for students to return to their new classroom when term started in September.