Lindum built a two-storey extension to Mellers Primary School, comprising two classrooms and two small group rooms, to accommodate Nottingham City Council’s Focus Provision for Deaf Pupils.

The extension was delivered following guidance given within Building Bulletin104 and the publication ‘Supporting the Achievement of Deaf children in Primary Schools’ (National Sensory Impairment Partnership).

Work took place during school term time, meaning detailed plans to combat disruption to lessons was essential, and the site was very tight. The new structure was attached to an existing building, meaning staff and pupils were always in close proximity to construction work. The site manager held daily morning briefings with either the headteacher or the school site manager to go through the day’s planned activities.

The site was secured using Heras fencing, which was checked multiple times every day to make sure it wasn’t compromised.

We also managed deliveries closely, with access only allowed between 10am and noon and then 2pm and 3pm (avoiding school drop-off and pick-up times). Noisy work was planned for agreed times in the day to manage disruption to lessons and work was paused on certain occasions (for nativity plays and SATS, for example)

All rooms had to consider the specified acoustic qualities and consideration was given to requirements of the pupils, including carpets, blinds and visual alarms rather than just audible alarms.

NCC used a construction framework to appoint Lindum as Principal Contractor on this project (Scape RCF). We picked up the project at RIBA Stage 4.

School staff were delighted with how the Lindum team conducted themselves during the work and our site manager was even issued with a special Headteacher’s Award during the weekly celebration assembly.