Campus refurbishment work begins
WORK is under way on Chelmsford's newest school building.
A special groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the start of the construction of Columbus College, in Partridge Avenue.
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BREAKING GROUND: Head of Columbus School, Malcolm Reeve (centred), and pupils from celebrating the start of the work I16JO2424 nw 01
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Subject:Columbus School and College, The School Campus, Patching Hall Lane, Chelmsford,
Groundbreaking ceremony for the £15m re-development of Columbus School. It will have a brand new campus on St John Payne playing fields.
Pictured l-r: Mayor of Chelmsford Alan Arnot, Kay Twitchen, John Tibbs, Head of Columbus School Malcome Reeve, Simon Burns MP, and Operations Director for Skanska Tony Pantling
The state-of-the-art new build for students with special needs aged 14 and over, will include a two-storey atrium entrance, cafe, hydrotherapy pool, multi-purpose adaptable classrooms and an eco courtyard.
It is part of a £17m redevelopment which will include an extension and refurbishment of the Columbus School campus.
The school, which caters for pupils aged from three to 14, will have a new atrium called The Jungle; an eco-trail, plus new wings of classrooms and offices due to be ready next spring.
Additional administrative space, together with nursery facilities, will then be refurbished for handover in December 2011.
Malcolm Reeve, head teacher of Columbus School and College, which has 240 pupils from across mid Essex, said: "This is a tremendous time for us, especially following our recent outstanding grade from Ofsted."
The use of ICT which is specially adapted for use by all students, including those with the most severe disabilities, will be an integral part of the development and will include a multi-sensory immersive learning environment, touch-screen plasmas, digital signage and projection equipment.
Once complete, it will mean staff will no longer have to travel to the college site in Maltese Road.
Columbus School and College used to be known as the Chelmsford New Model Special School, formed following the merger of two of the town's special schools, Hayward and Woodlands.
Comments
by loving_blonde
Wednesday, September 07 2011, 5:10PM
“This article however doesn't mention that the new school building and car park will take up half of St John Payne R.C School's field! Meaning sixth form students of St John Payne cannot park on school grounds due to health and safety, therefore parking in nearby roads upsetting local residents. Also the new buildings and car park for Columbus has meant St John Payne School have limited space for students Physical Education lessons.
So yes the new "state of the art" build will give a better impression of the area it's built in, but also degrades the look of and provides new problems for St John Payne School.
School Leaver”