Summer newsletter

New build – update

Morgan Sindall have now set up their site offices in porta-cabins on what was our car park. The concrete piles have almost all been completed ready for the foundations to be laid during May. The reinforcing cages for the foundations should be fitted next week.

The photograph below shows the piling rig and concrete mixer ready to drill 18m deep piles on which the foundations of our new school will stand.

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A small group of pupils representing years 7, 8 and 9 visit the site each week for a progress photo session. It is anticipated that all year 7, 8 and 9 pupils will have the opportunity to visit the construction site throughout the project. They also have a chance to speak to Morgan Sindall staff and ask questions so that they gain a deeper understanding of the various processes involved in building a new school.

Fig 1 Piling rig and digger work together to form a total of 380 piles on which the foundations of our new school will stand.

The piling rig drills down to a depth of 18 metres and slowly withdraws allowing concrete to be pumped down the centre of the drill at a steady rate to form the piles. The digger removes the excess earth and concrete.

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Fig 2 Once complete the piles are marked ready for excavation.

Fig 3 Perimeter foundation trench and pile caps

The perimeter foundation trench is then dug out (Fig 3) and the piles are exposed. The next stage will see the concrete trimmed to ground level exposing the reinforcing bars. A pile cap cage will then be attached to the reinforcing bars and a foundation reinforcing cage (Fig 4) will connect all the cages together. This will be filled with concrete to form the foundation beam.

Fig 4 Foundation beam reinforcing cage

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All this preliminary groundwork is vital to ensure the stability of the construction of our new school and yet they will never be seen again.

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