Expansion plan for Finham Park School reaches milestone
New facilities at Finham Park School in Coventry are moving a step closer to completion as the project team gathered for an official topping out ceremony last week.
The school’s headteacher, Chris Bishop, was joined by representatives from the school including trustees, alongside members from Coventry City Council, ABA Consulting, RLB and building contractor Speller Metcalfe.
A major feature of the £5.1m project is a 1450 sq m, double-storey performing arts block, which is scheduled to open in time for the start of the new school year.
Councillor Dr Kindy Sandhu and Cabinet Member for Education and Skills at Coventry City Council, said: “We are delighted to support the development of Finham Park’s School’s new performing arts centre, which will have an immediate impact both to current students in terms of the new facilities on offer, as well as enabling the school to offer additional places to pupils from the local area in the future.
“Ensuring quality education for all is a top priority for the council, and this expansion programme will do just that by providing increased opportunities to local families as part of the Council’s longer-term plan to meet the needs of our communities.”
The new facility will house two music classrooms and three practice rooms, including a music production suite, a dance and drama studio, and an additional five general teaching rooms – some with the added flexibility for dual use as an exam space.
As well as teaching provision, the block will incorporate a careers hub, dining space for up to 180 pupils and state-of-the-art kitchen, as well as offices and a group room. Outside pupils will be able to enjoy covered space on the new roof terrace.
Chris Bishop, headteacher at Finham Park School, said: “The building will support the joint vision of the Multi Academy Trust, the city council and the Department for Education to providing a vibrant performing arts education as part of a broad and balanced curriculum for all students in Coventry.”
The expansion comes as a result of a local need to accommodate an additional 180 students joining the school over the next five years, and is part of a Coventry City Council and Secondary Headteacher Partnership agreement to ensure sufficient school places for Coventry children to cater for larger primary school cohorts moving through into secondary education.
Five months into the project and the two-storey steel frame is now complete, and is currently in the process of being made weatherproof before works can begin inside the building on the ground floor.
Rob Lashford, regional director at Speller Metcalfe, said: “The new teaching block is really beginning to take shape, and we are delighted to use the topping out ceremony as an opportunity to showcase how far the build has come in a short space of time.
“As a Midlands contractor, we are delighted to be working in partnership with Coventry City Council, Finham Park School and Pagabo to deliver a project which will have an immediate positive impact on children and families in the local area.”
Alongside the new performing arts block, contractor Speller Metcalfe will also be delivering an additional sports pitch as part of the school’s expansion plan.
The project, which was procured via the Pagabo Medium Works framework, is due to complete in line with new school year this autumn.
