Our projects

Finding solutions to client needs

Ebbsfleet Green Primary School

Project:
Ebbsfleet Green Primary School

Type:
Primary Education, New Build

Client:
Kent County Council

Overview:
The design and construction of a modular build two form of entry school in Ebbsfleet Garden City, Kent. The school offers a variety of learning spaces including nursery, reception, infant and junior classrooms, food technology, science and design technology areas.

The building is a fantastic asset to the development both in its aesthetics but also the facilities it will provide.

Emily Stapley, Senior Project Manager (Education), Kent County Council

The impact

A modular construction solution was selected to meet the tight project timeline. This method of construction involved the offsite manufacture of modules (building components) in a factory setting. Those modules were then transported to site and lifted in place with a tower crane to create the building. Using modular construction saved 8-10 weeks in comparison to a traditional construction programme. 98 modular units, were installed over four one-week phases, lifted in using a 300 tonne mobile crane.

The new school offers a variety of learning spaces including nursery, reception, infant and junior classrooms plus, food technology, science and design technology areas. It also has special education needs facilities including a resource base plus therapy and medical inspection rooms.

Saved 8-10 weeks compared to traditional construction programme

BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating

Project:
Fitzalan High School

Type:
Secondary Education, New Build

Client:
Cardiff Council

Overview:
Kier was appointed by Cardiff Council, through the Southeast and Mid Wales Collaborative Construction Framework, to construct a new 1,500-place secondary school in Cardiff as part of the Band B 21st Century Schools and Education investment programme.

Fitzalan High School

From the start, the Kier team have understood our passion and motivation to build ‘The World’s Best School.'

Jo Kemp, Assistant Headteacher, Fitzalan High School

The impact

Kier worked with stakeholders to find betterment in the design, eliminating risks and keeping the project within budget, resulting in a c.£900,000 saving through levelling and stablishing works.

In 2022, Kier were awarded the Construction Excellence in Wales (CEW) Digital Construction Award for the efforts to digitise project information for Fitzalan High School. This enabled client / end-user transition advantages once the building was handed over.

CITB funded an onsite training hub at Fitzalan High School, to encourage young and unemployed people to find a career path in the industry plus, provide qualifications to work on a construction site.

Construction Excellence in Wales (CEW) Digital Construction Award 2022

70 jobs created throughout the project

The Bemrose School

Project:
The Bemrose School

Type:
Secondary Education, Refurbishment

Client:
Department for Education

Overview:
Working alongside the Department for Education and The Bemrose School to deliver the construction of a three-story Science and ICT teaching block called Oak Tree and the sympathetic refurbishment of the main school block.

To take an ageing 90-year old building and site and turn it into a centre of excellence without damaging the heritage of the building is to be admired

Neil Wilkinson, Executive Headteacher, Bemrose School

The impact

Constructed between 1928-1930, the original school buildings are locally listed due to their architectural and historical importance to the City of Derby. Strategic phasing allowed the school to remain fully operational throughout.

The new Oak Tree block addresses the requirement to increase capacity at the school. It was designed for future expansion with minimum alteration, to provide further teaching and support accommodation. Refurbished areas included science labs, classrooms, reception, main hall, library, SEND rooms, staff rooms, gym, and changing rooms.

Labelled as a pathfinder scheme, The Bemrose School set a national benchmark for DfE refurbishment projects. As a proud and prominent local institution, Bemrose School’s regeneration fosters a diverse community. In addition to pupils and staff, the school supports a variety of end users, including Littleover Dazzlers FC, Panther Sportsability Club and 24 Fit Derby, who all now access enhanced, quality spaces.

Set the national benchmark for DfE refurbishment projects

RCI Magazine’s ‘Commercial property application using slate’ award at the 2019 Pitched Roofing Awards.

Addington Valley Academy

Project:
Addington Valley Academy

Type:
Special Education Needs (SEN), New Build

Client:
Croydon Council

Overview:
The design and construction of an all through SEN school, funded by the Department for Education and managed by the Orchard Hill College Academy Trust.

Addington Valley Academy is a stunning new facility that will make an immeasurable difference to so many of our children, young people, and families.

Councillor Alisa Flemming, Cabinet Member for children, families and learning, Croydon Council

The impact

Croydon Council and Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust identified an urgent need for more SEND places in the borough and surrounding communities.

The new special educational needs school specialises in autism and complex needs of pupils aged 2-19 years old. The purpose built facility offers a wide variety of special learning spaces including classrooms, a science lab, an art room, a music room, a food technology room, hall spaces, a library, sensory/calm rooms, soft play, a professional kitchen, supporting staff spaces and a passenger lift. The grounds also feature hard surface and grass sport pitches, a courtyard sensory garden, a car park and play areas with hard and soft landscaping.

The project achieved net zero export of excavated material through focus on cut and fill balance, landscape design, remediation strategy and tight construction control. The demolition recovered over 900 tonnes of material and the overall project achieved BREEAM excellent.

BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating

Recycled 900 tonnes of material

Project:
Mayfield School, Portsmouth

Type:
Secondary Education, New Build

Client:
Department for Education and Portsmouth City Council

Overview:
The design and construction of a three-storey secondary school in the heart of Portsmouth, Hampshire. The vision was to create a modern ‘through school,’ that would give a place for four to sixteen years to learn and grow, while also benefiting the local community.

It means a huge amount to be involved in this project, quite simply I could not be prouder to have helped transform my former secondary school.

Steve Topliss, Project Director at Kier and Mayfield School Alumnus

Mayfield School

The impact

The Mayfield School has been in the same location in Portsmouth since the 1930s. With a proud heritage and a focal point in the community, the existing school was a co-educational secondary school. The vision for the school was to create a modern ‘through school,’ that would give a place for four to sixteen years to learn and grow, whilst simultaneously benefiting the local community. The existing buildings were no longer deemed a suitable space to deliver this. For the vision to become a reality a new school was needed. Built on the existing site on Mayfield Road, the new Mayfield School was built over three floors, contains over 70 classrooms, and has a range of spaces for pupils and the wider community to enjoy.

By using Kier’s KSchool design platform, the team addressed the challenges of working within a constrained site. This approach saved time and effort on site which was reinvested to focus on what was important to Mayfield. The original 1930s clock was relocated to the new building, as well as the school's war memorial plaques. The original entrance to the 1930s building also remains and is now used as an outdoor learning and performance space for students to use.

9422m2 in size

10/10 customer satisfaction

Project:
Currie Community High School

Type:
Secondary Education, New Build

Client:
The City of Edinburgh Council

Overview:
One of the first high schools in Scotland to be built to the Passivhaus standard. The new build secondary school will provide 1,000 student places, with three floors of teaching blocks, sports and leisure facilities, a swimming pool, and a café.

Currie Community High School

These are exciting times for the Currie school community as there are so many innovative elements to the plans which has energy efficiency at its centre.

Joan Griffiths, Councillor, City of Edinburgh

The impact

Procured through the Crown Commercial Services framework, the new build secondary school will create 1,000 student places, with facilities including three floors of teaching blocks, sports and leisure facilities including a swimming pool.

Passivhaus is a certified energy efficiency standard, focusing on creating buildings that minimise energy consumption, therefore reducing the reliance on active heating or cooling systems, ensuring sustainable and eco-friendly construction.

The project goes beyond the build and offers the opportunity for students to take their first steps into the construction industry. Through Kier's ‘Constructing Futures’ programme, a construction academy was opened on site offering pupils employability skills and an insight into the construction industry.

£1.8m of social value generated

70% less energy when in operation than a traditionally built school

Winterstoke Hundred Academy

Project:
Winterstoke Hundred Academy (WHA)

Type:
Secondary Education, New Build

Client:
North Somerset Council and Cabot Learning Federation

Overview:
The delivery of a net zero carbon expansion of Winterstoke Hundred Academy, providing 900 new pupil places and supporting North Somerset Council's commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.

"Kier has consistently demonstrated a strong collaborative ethic, listening and responding positively to client concerns or requests in a proactive supportive way.

Alex Fear, Head of Major Infrastructure Projects, North Somerset Council

The impact

Procured through the Southern Construction Framework and funded by Homes England's Housing Infrastructure Fund, the new school building is an expansion of the Winterstoke Hundred Academy and provides 900 new pupil places, with an ability to cater for growth up to 1,200 pupils if required.

The three-storey 8,296m2 building is net zero carbon in operation and has a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating. The school syllabus specialises in environmental science and climate change. The school supports this aspiration by being an example of best practice in environmental design and energy efficiency.

Taking advantage of the existing woodland on site, a ‘Sustainability Lab’ was created, situated next to the main school. Throughout construction, the lab provided work experience, direct employment, carbon skills training and engagement with local businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises. Since completion, the lab continues to benefit the community as a usable facility.

BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating

Net zero carbon in operation

Pembroke House

Project:
Pembroke House

Type: Higher Education, Refurbishment, New Build

Client:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Overview:
The refurbishment, remodelling and extension of Pembroke House, a collaborative centre led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON).

Kier and the client team worked together to resolve issues in a practical, efficient and cost effective manner. Very pleased with the overall project.

Kevin Steward Head of Estates, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

The impact

Procured through the SCAPE Construction Framework, Pembroke House was transformed into a 14,688sq ft contemporary education space, with new, state-of-the-art facilities, enabling the school to become a home for research and development, innovation, and education in the heart of Liverpool's Knowledge Quarter.

The building underwent extensive refurbishment, including retaining the external façade, refreshing its appearance and updating replacement period windows. The first-floor extension includes a structural glass façade to two elevations, and building's internal works delivered an attractive, contemporary space with state-of-the-art facilities, placing immersive and experiential technologies at its core.

The bespoke centre enables the development of transformative technologies, and future-proofs the region as world-leading centre for infection innovation, research and learning.

Engaged with 72 students throughout the project

96% of waste diverted from landfill

Dover Grammar School

Project:
Dover Grammar School

Type:
Secondary Education, New Build

Client:
Department for Education

Overview:
Design and construction of a new three-storey, teaching block and attached four-court sports hall, with a two-court multi-use games area and grade 4 Sports England turf sports field. Demolition of the existing school to create hardstanding and a car park.

Never in the wildest dreams of everybody associated with our school community was it ever imagined that we would end up in such an amazing new space.

Philip Horstrup, Headteacher, Dover Grammar School for Boys

The impact

Located on a prominent hilltop site, Dover Grammar School for Boys (DGSB) was originally built in the early 1930s. Considered at the end of its design life and no longer fit for modern curriculum delivery, funding was allocated under the Department for Education’s (DfE) Priority School Building Programme to rebuild the school.

The three storey features 160 rooms including science classrooms, a drama studio, a sports hall and changing facilities plus a specialist Special Education Needs (SEN) teaching space and associated back of house support rooms.

The new school is a stunning new landmark giving splendid views towards the castle, port and Channel. A number of unique items from the original school were retained and relocated, including a pipe organ and honours boards; two stained glass windows from the original library and engraved stone from the clocktower features as an element in the landscaping.