TOPPING OUT CEREMONY MARKS MILESTONE AT HAMBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL
Headteacher Jo Dent and the whole school came out to mark the occasion, along with Councillors from South Gloucestershire Council and building contractor Speller Metcalfe’s project team.
Cllr Ian Blair said: “Today’s ceremony represents an important milestone in the future of Hambrook Primary School. The new and contemporary extension will replace some of the outdated buildings and provide teachers and pupils with the very best up-to-date teaching and learning facilities. It will include a main entrance lobby and reception area, admin offices, three classrooms and toilets along with a new assembly and dining hall, with adjacent kitchen and toilets will also be open to the community to use.
“The new extension contrasts with the original listed Victorian school building which will remain the dominant feature and will retain all of its original features.”
Andy Metcalfe, Joint Managing Director of Speller Metcalfe, added: “This topping out ceremony recognises all the hard work of the project team – from the site staff to those behind the scenes, we can really start to see the progression of works on site.
“The building works are being completed in multiple phases to minimise disruption to staff and pupils and we are now moving towards the final fit out of the extension, before the team starts internal remodelling of the main Victorian school building.”
Headteacher Jo Dent remarked on the progress of the building and what it will be to staff and pupils at the school: “We are delighted with the progress of the new building. After many years of coping without a proper school hall and the children having to cross the playground to access the school toilets, it will have a tremendously beneficial impact on the lives of everyone here at the school.
“Whilst retaining the old village school character and ethos of the existing listed building, these improvements are bringing our school into the 21st Century. We’re all very excited and can’t wait for it to open. ”
Once the work has been completed to modernise Hambrook Primary it will provide 210 places ready for the new September term in 2014.