Work starts on site of new east Manchester primary school

Bright colourful classrooms, play space, garden and recycling area and speed limit signs on the roads, these are just some ideas pupils at Varna Street Primary School want to see in their new school.

And this week building work begins at the site of the new £6.6m Openshaw school, turning their ideas into a reality.

The new school, to be called Varna Community Primary School on Chisholm Street, will replace the current Barrass Street site and will be a 270 place school with a 90 place foundation unit.

The two storey building will be a definitive focal point and presence within the community.

The new school will have nine classrooms and one large shared resource base, a foundation unit, a main hall and separate dining hall that can be opened up to provide one large space, a library and ICT room, a courtyard and a multi-use games area. All the first floor classrooms will have access to external terrace teaching areas with a feature green roof and a decked terrace on the foundation unit.

There will also be a staff terrace, overlooking the green roof, which can be used for teaching up to 30 pupils.

Headteacher, Bernard Madden, says: "We're all really excited about work starting on our fabulous new school. The pupils have been involved in the design process and many of their ideas will be incorporated into the final building and so they are eagerly anticipating moving in. It will be an outstanding facility not only for pupils and teachers, but for the community as a whole."

The foundation unit will be open plan with designated areas of activity. The play area is centred around a winding tricycle path that features a covered garden, a sand pit, bubble fountain and stage. There will also be a nature garden and a covered seating area.

The Key Stage 1 and 2 playground has been designed in the shape of a giant leaf incorporating a timber bridge spanning a 'ravine.' There will also be a sports area, a large nature garden with a bug grass maze, woven willow tunnels, a plantation, jungle clearing and a music garden.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Children's Services, says: "Varna Street Primary is a school with extremely high standards and received an outstanding Ofsted report last year - both pupils and teachers deserve an environment that reflects this. The new building and facilities will enable the school to go from strength to strength."

Pupils took part in a design festival where they shared their thoughts and views about what they liked about their current school and what their expectations were for their new building.

As part of the festival, the school's pupil council visited Haveley Hey Primary school in Wythenshawe to chat to staff and pupils and take pictures of things they liked and disliked.

The school will reflect the City Council's commitment to the environment and sustainability with a number of features including air source heat pumps that provide a minimum of 70% heat recovery, high efficiency lighting that detects motion and only activates when someone is in a room and solar control glazing.

The new school is expected to be completed by February 2012 and
is part of the wider regeneration of Openshaw, which includes health and community facilities, new housing and a new district centre.
 
Jeff Hook from Bramall Construction Ltd, says: "Our team is thrilled to start construction work for the new Varna Community Primary School in December, and look forward to developing what will be a fantastic facility in the new year.

"Having worked very closely with the headteacher, staff and pupils of the school over the past 18 months, we know how eagerly and patiently they have awaited the start of the project, and it is for this reason it is so particularly pleasing for the Manchester City Council and Bramall project team.

"The new Varna Community Primary School will be built on a prominent position off Ashton Old Road and with its modern design and exciting external landscape spaces, it will really support the redevelopment that is ongoing in New East Manchester, and serve the community for many years to come."
The new school has been funded by Manchester City Council's Primary Capital Investment Programme.

The architect on the project is Ellis Williams Architects and the contractor is Bramall Construction Ltd.