We were appointed to provide building surveying services on a phased refurbishment project that would improve safeguarding whilst repurposing their existing spaces for better use. Like many schools built in a different era, the layout of the site simply wasn’t designed with modern security standards in mind.
The school’s existing reception was located within the middle of the site. When a visitor arrived, they would be buzzed through the main gate and a member of staff would then need to walk through the playground to escort them to reception to sign in. This was far from ideal as it created movement through pupil areas, making it difficult to maintain a clear, controlled point of entry.
Alongside the safeguarding concern, the nursery was oversubscribed and unable to meet growing demand, and the staff room needed improvement. Together, these challenges called for a joined-up solution — one that made smarter use of the spaces the school already had.
Our Approach
Working closely with the school and the Trust, we developed several options before settling on a three-phase plan that would repurpose existing spaces to better serve the school’s needs. Because each phase depended on the one before it, the works had to be carefully sequenced and delivered consecutively.
Phase One: A New and Expanded Nursery
The first phase focused on creating a new, larger nursery by knocking through four existing classrooms to form a single, open facility to expand their ‘First Steps’ provision. This was technically demanding work, requiring the removal of structural steelwork to open up the space. A new moveable partition wall means the room can be divided into separate spaces and opened up again throughout the day to suit different activities.
Phase Two: A Secure New Reception
With the nursery relocated internally, attention turned to the building it had vacated — an external modular structure positioned close to the school’s front entrance gate. Its location made it the ideal candidate for the new reception.
A new entrance was formed by creating an opening in the existing perimeter fence, establishing a clear and controlled access point from the street. Within the building, the interior was reconfigured to accommodate a reception area, a staff office, a school business manager’s office, a medical room, a library, and a new accessible WC. Visitors now arrive, sign in, and are managed at the boundary of the school — entirely separate from the main pupil areas. The improvement to security and safeguarding has been transformative.
Phase Three: A Staff Room Fit for Purpose
The final phase converted the original reception building into a new staff room. Three existing rooms were opened up into one, requiring careful navigation around live gas and heating services throughout the works. The finished space is bright, open, and welcoming with feedback from staff being overwhelmingly positive.
Delivered Around the School Day
All three phases were completed across a combination of term time and school holidays, with the full programme concluded in just under a year. Throughout the project, we worked closely with the school and the appointed contractor to adapt the programme wherever necessary — whether that meant delaying noisier elements of work or adjusting sequencing to minimise disruption to teaching.
The Bigger Picture
This project is a good reminder that solving a space problem doesn’t always mean building something new. By taking a step back and looking at what already exists — the structure, the layout, the position of each building on site — it’s often possible to unlock the best solution.
