Hampshire County Council

Education Buildings Advisory Group

8 March 2002

Executive Member - Education Item

22 March 2002

Ashley Infant School, Ashley, New Milton

Report of the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory

1.

Summary

1.1

Ashley Infant School is a small school located in the village of Ashley which lies to the east of New Milton on the southern border of the New Forest. The school currently has 175 pupils on roll aged between four and six years and it is anticipated that this figure will rise due to a population growth in the surrounding area.

1.2

Accordingly an allocation of £297,000, excluding fees, has been included in the Education Committee's 2001/02 Capital Programme to provide an additional 85 Basic Need places.

1.3

The purpose of this report is to outline the proposals and seek approval to the attached building design project appraisal.

2.

Scope of the Works

2.1

It is proposed to construct a single storey extension to the north-west elevation of the existing school building. The extension will be constructed from materials to match the existing adjoining building and will provide three classrooms each with a store and wet area, a large shared work area and a glazed link to the new and existing accommodation.

2.2

Internal alterations to the existing accommodation will be undertaken to provide better organised staff facilities and pupil and Assisted WC provision. This will comprise the conversion of existing pupil WCs and cloak area to a staff room with full height glazed windows offering views over external play areas and site entrance points. The existing music room will be converted to provide pupil WCs and Assisted WCs along with a cloak area for existing classrooms and an existing WC and shower room will become a medical room / store.

2.3

At the opposite end of the building is an area used by the school for the teaching of pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) and it is proposed to reorganise existing toilet facilities in this area to provide additional WCs, an Assisted WC and a staff shower. The existing staff room will be altered to form the music room and the staff work room will become a Sensory room. The funding and fitting out of the Sensory room will the responsibility of the school and will not form part of this contract.

2.4

Adjacent to the new extension a play area will be formed with a coloured tarmac covering, benches and low level boundary fence. This area will have direct access from the new classrooms and could be used as an outside teaching space in the summer months. This play/teaching area will be positioned between two grassed landscaped areas, one of which is existing, the second being created as part of these works.

2.5

The southern elevation of the building is fronted by a wide pathway which children currently use as an additional play area. It is proposed that this path be extended to provide a dedicated footpath to the main entrance of the school and a new pupil play area which will be fenced to provide additional security for reception children. A further play area with security fencing for use by the SLD pupils will be created adjacent to the classrooms and work area used for the teaching of the pupils with SLD.

2.6

The site security will be improved by the formation of a dedicated pedestrian entrance point at the north-west corner of the site. The existing double gates will be re-positioned. Vehicles will be restricted to access to the car park only and the access road adjacent to the new classrooms will be limited to fire access and servicing only, with the installation of removable bollards adjacent to the main entrance. Pathways will be maintained from the new pedestrian entrance linking to the new and existing accommodation.

3.

Funding and Timing

3.1

Funding of £297,000, excluding fees, will come from the Education Committee's 2001/02 Capital Programme along with a contribution of £44,000 from the School. This brings the total funding provision for these works to £341,000, excluding fees.

3.2

It is anticipated that tenders will be invited during April 2002 and works will commence on site during June 2002 and completed during October 2002.

Conclusion

1

The proposed extension will result in additional Basic Need places for the school in permanent accommodation along with better organised accommodation and improvements to external play areas. Approval is accordingly sought to the attached Design Project Appraisal for the Ashley Infant School scheme, subject to the approval of the Executive Member - Education to the deferral of the Capital Programme allocation to 2002/03.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report and attached appraisal.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE

Building Management System reports, Property, Management &

Site surveys and investigations, Information File - PB&R

Architect's plans.

EME0302b