Wordsley School, Stourbridge

Value - £4.7m | Client - Dudley MBC

The provision of a new classroom block, library and sports hall, meeting an increased demand for school places in the region.

To meet demands for increased secondary school places in Dudley, this project involved the provision of a new classroom block consisting of ten classrooms, a library and a sports hall with equipment storage and changing rooms.

The scheme included internal remodelling to the existing accommodation to provide the teaching areas with a redesigned layout. This also included new toilets, internal alterations to the dining hall to provide additional dining space, and the construction of a new toilet block adjacent to the dining area. There was also internal remodelling to the existing sports hall to form further teaching and exercise spaces.

One of the project challenges was the ground conditions, they were complex with areas of historical mining in the local vicinity. We carried out further investigations to better inform the design and fully identify the risks due to the historical mining. This enabled us to ensure that the appropriate raft foundation and ground floor slab solutions were implemented for both the classroom block and sports hall.

During the early Covid-19 lockdown period Clancy ensured safe working procedures in place. Co-ordination with the site contractor and wider design team meant we were able to safely continue to visit site, inspect the works and undertake investigations with respect to the internal refurbishment works.

Over the course of the design period and classroom construction a number of client changes, predominantly M&E requirements, were raised. This meant changes to the structural scheme, for both a basement plant area and to the sports hall roof. These changes resulted in further coordination with the entire project team members, including the steelworker and gas membrane specialist, in order to assess the impact of the changes and incorporate these within the scheme.

With input from the pupils and staff, the school pays homage to the area’s mining history with inspiring quotes etched into the glass panels throughout the building. 

The new teaching block will increase the total student numbers to over 1000  and is an impressive addition that will boost the type of activities and lessons that can be offered to the end-users, the pupils of the local community. 

Testimonial:

“Dudley MBC has been particularly impressed with how the entire design team has worked seamlessly, with great care and respect to each other, throughout Covid-19.”

David Quinton
Project Manager, Dudley MBC