Morgan Sindall Construction completes work at landmark Passivhaus school in Lincolnshire
Morgan Sindall Construction has completed its work at a world-first new school in Scunthorpe, which has opened its doors to pupils for the first time.
Trent View College is a new post-16 college for pupils with special educational needs designed to remove barriers to learning and help young people develop important life and employability skills and prepare them for adulthood.
Part of Wellspring Academy Trust, the new purpose-built £12 million school provides state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities for the 60 pupils who will attend. The building is testament to modern design, accessibility and inclusivity in education, and has been carefully designed to meet the learning objectives of the students. A large commercial kitchen space will be used for students to both learn catering skills and prepare the meals for their fellow classmates, whilst a vehicle workshop will allow students to learn about car maintenance and repairs. The building also comprises a cafe which will serve the public and enable students to develop their hospitality skills.
As well as offering the very best in inclusive post-16 learning facilities, the building itself is a world-first when it comes to environmental impact. Designed by HLM Architects and built by Morgan Sindall Construction, the school meets strict Passivhaus standards around energy efficiency and environmental impact. The inclusion of a heat-intensive hydrotherapy pool in the build makes Trent View College the first SEND school with a hydrotherapy pool in the world to achieve Passivhaus standards.
Utilising Intelligent Solutions to achieve Passivhaus
Throughout the building programme, Morgan Sindall deployed a range of Intelligent Solutions to ensure the Passivhaus standards were met.
Despite a two-storey building being the most efficient form to meet the Passivhaus requirements, this would have resulted in limitations to flexible teaching spaces with access to outdoor areas – a key requirement of the client.
Through collaboration with the client, the project team developed a single-storey L-shaped building design and reorganised administrative facilities to allow classrooms to sit on either side, therefore providing external canopied spaces for each classroom. To ensure the Passivhaus requirements were still met, the team also increased insulation in key areas, and canopy foundations were strategically positioned to minimise their impact on Passivhaus energy calculations. This solution allowed for both flexibility to accommodate all the varying needs of the cohort, and energy efficiency in the building design.
To ensure the Passivhaus standard airtightness could be achieved, the team opted to use an offsite solution – a Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) frame panelised system for the external wall insulation and build up. As this was manufactured offsite, it allowed for a more robust quality control process which ensured a single clear airtight line could be achieved.
Elsewhere, to combat the higher electrical load needed to facilitate a SEND school, the team ensured the school was equipped with all energy efficient appliances that worked concurrently with the Passivhaus Planning Pack. This not only supports the school in meeting the primary energy demand of the building but also reduces its carbon emissions and lowers running and maintenance costs.
Ben Hall, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction - Yorkshire, said:
At Morgan Sindall we are committed to equal opportunities and believe that everyone should be given the best possible chance at achieving their goals. It’s therefore a privilege to have contributed to the skills development of young people in the local community with special educational needs through the creation of Trent View College.
It's incredibly positive to see more demand for state-of-the-art facilities such as Trent View College. It indicates a change in ideals surrounding our education system and understanding of how we encourage the best out of everyone. Collaboration has been crucial to this project, and the support we’ve had from the Wellspring Academy Trust and HLM has given us the scope to apply our expertise in delivering this fantastic educational environment. Through the deployment of our Intelligent Solutions approach we were able to help this landmark college achieve Passivhaus accreditation.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Wellspring Academy Trust and look forward to seeing the impact of its work - and of Trent View College - in the near future."
Sarah Parker, Principal at Trent View College, said:
Today is an incredibly exciting moment for the local community and for everyone who has been involved in the efforts to bring this wonderful new school to Scunthorpe. We now have this amazing new building and talented team in place to provide a nurturing space where our students can acquire vital life skills, engage in meaningful work and develop their routes toward independence. It will be life changing for the pupils attending.
As well as world-class facilities for our students, this new school will also be a fantastic resource available for use by the wider community. We are very much looking forward to putting Trent View College at the heart of the Scunthorpe community and working closely with businesses and partners across the area.”
Mark Wilson, CEO at Wellspring Academy Trust, added:
This is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and creative thinking from all partners involved in this project, and today is a truly proud moment for us all. At Wellspring, we prioritise inclusivity, forward-thinking, community involvement and a desire to always do things better. Trent View College epitomises that approach. The innovation and ambition behind this project has set the standard for what SEND schools can, and should, be. I look forward to watching the impact of Trent View College on its students and the Scunthorpe community over the coming months and years.”
Catherine Ward, Associate & SEN Lead at HLM Architects, added:
HLM are incredibly proud to have been involved in the design and delivery of this unique special school. The new building will not only provide much needed school places and specialist facilities for post 16 students with SEND in North Lincolnshire but, also provide numerous benefits offered by Passivhaus design including; an energy efficient, sustainable, high performing building; lowered running cost; and a comfortable internal environment improving health and wellbeing of students and staff. The success of the design has been achieved through a collaborative process involving the Trust and DfE and provides a contemporary, exemplary sustainable school which meets the very specialist needs of the building users.”
Trent View College is a fully inclusive post-16 college, where individual differences are celebrated and aspirations are supported. Its aim is to develop inquisitive, aspirational and resilient young people who are fully equipped to engage and contribute to their own communities.
Established in 2012, Wellspring works across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, with schools in Barnsley, Leeds, North Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire. Trent View College opening brings the number of schools in the Wellspring community to 31.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Hudson 07515 657597 Email: e.hudson@wellspringacademies.org.uk or for Morgan Sindall enquiries Tom Carlin (carlin@thisisinfluential.com).