Seddon Construction has been awarded the second stage of a two-stage tender for Oldham Council to deliver essential improvements works at Kingfisher School in Chadderton, Oldham.
Working in collaboration with Oldham Council and the design team, Kier Group, Seddon will now begin working through the second stage of the procurement process, developing the design to meet the requirements of the school and to ensure the final proposal is within budget. The team will work closely to develop a detailed technical proposal which meets the required scope of work and achieves the overall design vision. During this second stage, Seddon will work to add significant value to the final design through the suggestion of innovative technical solutions and alternative materials which will benefit the overall budget and achieve a high-quality result.
This project is significant for the people of Oldham; Kingfisher School is the only special needs school for primary aged children in Oldham who have the most complex and severe learning needs. As the local population has grown, the demand for places at Kingfisher School has increased by nearly 50-per-cent in just over five years.
The construction works will include a building extension for the installation of a new hydrotherapy pool, and 2 new classrooms will be provided at the site of the old pool. The existing building will also be reconfigured to optimise the learning space available and provide further opportunities for staff to tailor their specialist teaching to meet the individual requirements of each child.
A major element of the construction works will be the replacement and relocation of the school’s hydrotherapy pool which is defective and no longer fit for purpose. Hydrotherapy is extensively used to help pupils with their development and is a critical part of their education. Hydrotherapy helps children maintain a range of joint and muscle movement and is particularly important for children who are confined to a wheelchair. The existing pool is over 40-years old and has been out of service for some time, which is having a detrimental effect on the children’s wellbeing and quality of life.
The school has been funding-raising for the pool replacement project for some time via their ‘Big Splash’ appeal and has managed to raise an impressive £100,000 towards the cost of the project. A large part of the funds required to get the project off the ground were donated by local philanthropist Sir Norman Stroller and the remaining funds were provided by Oldham Council who has recognised the urgency to provide additional places at the school to serve the local population. The fund-raising has been widely supported by the local community and the new hydrotherapy pool will be made available for use by community groups and other education providers in the borough.
Procure North West Director, Robbie Blackhurst commented; “There is a large amount of local support for this project and communication with the local community and interested parties to report on progress will remain important. It will be critical for the project team to demonstrate how value for money is being achieved and the second stage of the procurement process provides a real opportunity for the contractor to add value and ensure the best solution is developed for the School.”
The construction work will be undertaken during term time and it will be the priority of the main contractor to ensure effective communication with the school’s team. Careful management of all interfaces with the school to control the construction activities during sensitive times will be critical. Working in sensitive environments is one of the specialisms of proposed main contractor.
