One of the country’s first schools to be built through the Department for Education’s Modern Methods of Construction Framework has been awarded to B+K.
Thames Park School in Grays, Essex will be a £24m secondary free school for 900 pupils aged 11-16, with future potential for a sixth form.
The school will be built using structural insulated panels, roof cassettes and pre-cast concrete floors. Together with our off-site contractor, Innovare, we have developed this system further by installing windows, roofing, and external cladding off-site. Bowmer + Kirkland’s own mechanical and electrical company, DBS, has been involved with the development of an off-site plant room.
The off-site method of construction reduces time spent on site, is better for the environment and further improves health and safety.
B+K Framework Director, Chris Arno, said: ““I am extremely proud that our first school to be delivered though the DfE’s Offsite (MMC) Framework is now about to hit site. Whilst as a company we have been delivering schools for the DfE using Offsite technology since 2014, Thames Park embraces the considerable research and development we have made over that time, to refine our product and increase its Pre-Manufactured Value. This is culminating in the delivery of our very mature ‘Configure Offsite 3.0’ standardised, yet flexible, school solution, which will exceed the very stringent performance requirements of the DfE’s Output Specification whilst reducing the construction duration by 30%. I look forward to watching the building take shape.”
Thames Park will have two buildings, – a three-storey teaching block and a separate sports block. These are complemented by two multi use game areas, an all-weather pitch, turfed sports pitches and a running track.
B+K started off-site manufacturing this week and earthworks will start at the end of June.
The school will be ready for students to start in September 2022 and it will be managed by Osborne Co-Operative Academy Trust.
Bowmer + Kirkland has been a major contractor for the Department for Education since the launch of the Contractor Framework in 2013 and was named DfE Contractor of the Year for the High Value Band of Works on the school building programme.