Queensmead
Academy

Queensmead Academy is an existing eight form entry secondary academy, with a sixth form, that serves 1,472 students aged 11 -18 in Ruislip, Leicester. The Department for Education identified its Design and Technology block as being in poor condition. It deemed it successful for reprovision as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme 2, construction framework.

Forming part of a group of buildings around a courtyard, originally designed by Yorke, Rosenberg and Mardall Architects in 1953, the existing building was considered to have architectural and historic importance to the local area, in turn being locally Listed and formed an important role when developing the proposal of the new building.

Sector

Education

Services

Architecture

Status

Completed October 2021

Client

Department for Education

Location

Ruislip, Leicester

Contract value

£5m

Contractor

Morgan Sindall Construction

Soultion

In addition to the new Design and Technology facilities, replacing the three workshops, two graphics studios and support spaces, the opportunity to extend up and upgrade and replace other below-standard classrooms within the existing school stock was realised. This included 12 general teaching classrooms and a science classroom.

Faced with a tight delivery programme, our team worked in partnership with Morgan Sindall to carefully design a phased strategy to include the demolition and installation of temporary classrooms, alongside the construction of the new block, avoiding any disruption to the wider school.

Working closely with the school and Morgan Sindall, Queensmead now boasts an inspiring, cost-effective learning environment offering large bright airy classrooms that create a welcoming environment for the students to learn in. As a nod to the original Listed building, the new two storey block works within a rectangular footprint and compliments the original courtyard arrangement on the school site.

Design

The design of the new teaching block sits comfortably within the site complementing the existing school estate, creating high-quality spacious teaching spaces to evoke learning. Additionally, we enhanced the WC facilities for the site within the new building, ensuring provision for the whole school.

As well as the new Design and Technology facilities, 12 new classrooms and science lab, the seamless integration of the canopy design embeds the new building into the school effortlessly. The provision of a standalone plant room results in a solution that means the teaching spaces will remain undisturbed in the event of maintenance works.