Multi-million pound rebuild for North West school
Mesne Lea Primary School rebuilt through government’s flagship £4.4 billion rebuilding programme.
A Salford primary school which received a modern, fit-for-purpose new building through the government’s flagship rebuilding programme is being officially re-opened today (25 September 2015).
Mesne Lea Primary School is 1 of 40 schools in the North West to be rebuilt through the £4.4 billion priority school building programme (PSBP), which is transforming some of the most run-down schools in the country.
As a result of £3.9 million worth of construction, the school’s old buildings have been replaced with a brand new 2-storey facility, including additional classrooms and a large multi-purpose hall. The building also benefits from modern insulation to protect against outside noise, allowing pupils to enjoy a quiet learning environment.
Schools Minister Lord Nash said:
Our investment in school buildings across the country is transforming the learning environment for tens of thousands of pupils and their teachers.
The re-opening of Mesne Lea Primary School is a key milestone for the priority school building programme in the North West.
Ensuring all children have access to the best possible schools and facilities is just 1 part of our commitment to help all young people reach their potential regardless of their background. These buildings will provide modern, fit-for-purpose schools for pupils for many years to come.
Mesne Lea Headteacher Julie Finlay said:
The pupils and staff are really excited to be starting the new school year in our fantastic new building. We have additional classrooms, a much improved IT infrastructure, a far superior dining hall and a studio, and all of this in a building with amazing sound insulation, which allows children to learn in a calming environment.
John Godfrey Divisional Director of Interserve, said:
Congratulations to the team for handing over the project on time, setting a high standard for the future schools that we are delivering in the North West. It’s great to see the school in use with a delighted head teacher, staff and pupils.
Thanks to the PSBP, school buildings are being rebuilt faster and cheaper than those built under the previous school building initiative - Building Schools for the Future (BSF). Under the BSF it took 3 years for construction work to begin. This was slashed to 1 year for the PSBP, with projects costing around a third less.
A total of 537 schools will benefit from construction through the 2 phases of the PSBP.
Notes to editors
- The PSPB was established in 2011. A total of 260 schools have successfully applied for refurbishment work through the first phase of the programme.
- Thanks to decisions which have been taken to improve efficiency and reduce waste in central school building programmes, significant work on those projects is already underway. In September 2015, 22 buildings are re-opening through PSBP thanks to £160 million of construction work, bringing the total number to have been re-opened through the first phase of PSBP to 49.
- As of the end of August, we have 173 schools for which construction contracts have been signed (including the contracts for privately financed schools and the 49 schools open); and we are working with all the schools in the programme.
- In May 2014 the government announced a further £2 billion for the second phase of the programme. A list of the 277 schools to benefit from the second phase of the PSBP was published on 9 February 2015.
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