Steelwork News

The steelwork is nearly complete and now it is possible to get a 'feel' of the new building. The work had moved on really quickly this week and it is only now that the true size of the extension can be seen.

Next week the floor slabs for this section will be fitted and work will begin, honestly, on rebuilding the Frampton Street wall.

Next week I'll tell you more about what has been happening inside the existing school building.

Frampton Street Wall Update

The workmen should complete the foundations for the new wall on Frampton Street today. The last load of concrete is due at 1.00 p.m. It has been a difficult period for everyone. The workmen have had a very small space in which to work and we all have had a difficult time getting around them as the pavement is blocked. Hopefully things will get a little easier as the bricklayers should take up a little less room - we hope.


The bricklayers should start work on Wednesday. I hope they will start work at the corner so that getting around it might be easier by the New Year.

It will take about 16,000 bricks to rebuild the wall. The builders have managed to save 12,000 from the demolition of the Caretaker's house and wall. Let's hope they can build it more quickly than the Capland Steet wall.

The View From
The Site

Richard Gallaher, the project manager, has kindly given us some pictures he took from the site itself. The picture to the left shows a 'cherry picker' - a machine the men use to get up to the steels. They fix the steel frame together from this machine which they can control even when they are standing up on the platform. The frame is just over one third complete now. In the second picture you can see the crane. The crane is a mobile one and will slowly move back towards the gate as more of the frame is complete.

Balconies

About half the steel frame has now been completed. The builders will soon start on the next section which will contain the new dining hall, kitchen and classrooms. You can see where the balconies hang on steel wires.

On the top floor in the picture will be the ICT suites. On the second floor will be the staff room. On the first floor will be the library and on the ground floor community classrooms.

If all goes to plan the steel frame will be completed by the end of December.

The Floors Go In
The first part of the frame construction is up and they have started putting the base flooring slabs in. The underfloor heating and final floor finish will be put on top of these. Once this section of the new building has been completed the workmen will start on the next section of the building nearer Lisson Grove.

Work on the Frampton Street wall will start soon.

During half-term and the week following lots of progress on the new building has been made. The frame of the extension has started to go up and the Frampton Street wall has been demolished. This wall is going to rebuilt as it was considered unsafe.

Inside the building all the internal walls in Old Red Class, the Library and Stock Room have been demolished making one very large space that will become part of the new nursery.

More news next week.

First Half Term Update

July 2006 now seems a long way away. Remember the caretaker's house and the nursery?

They are long gone, taken away in the back of many lorries. A few of the bricks are left, stacked up, waiting to be used in rebuilding the Frampton Street wall.

Once the old building had been demolished the builders laid the foundations for the new building. Parts of the foundations, called piles, are really deep and go into the ground for 20 metres.

Over half-term the builders will start erecting the steel frame of the building. This work will take about three months and then the work of 'fitting out' the building will begin. We've already begun to think about ordering books and shelving for the new library.

You can learn more about our builders, 'Crispin and Borst' by visiting their website:

http://www.crispinborst.co.uk/

You can learn more about the design of the building by visiting our architects website on:

http://www.seh.co.uk