This new educational facility forms part of Staffordshire County Council’s wider plan to expand primary and nursery provision within the West Midlands. Due to local demand and following a new 750-home housing development within the area, the council identified a need for a new school to be built. The £4.8 million scheme was delivered by main contractor G F Tomlinson, through the Staffordshire County Council framework and project managed by Entrust. It was the first school to be built in Lichfield in over 40 years, providing 210 primary places and 26 nursery places for young people in the local area. Completed in June 2022, the new two- storey free school comprises nine classrooms, a library, catering spaces, indoor sports facilities and an outdoor play area. There is also a MUGA (multi- use games area) pitch on site to enable pupils to take part in sports activities. Construction of the school, which is run by the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust, was delivered with a future expansion in mind. This includes accommodating 420 primary and 52 nursery places in total, to facilitate planned housing schemes in the local area. This is one of six educational schemes that G F Tomlinson has successfully delivered within the Staffordshire region alongside Entrust, with the Derby-headquartered firm recently completing Bramshall Meadows First School in Uttoxeter. Construction methods applied to the new school included a Structural Framing System (SFS), a flat roof with a single ply membrane, external walls which were clad in brickwork and render with a large area of curtain walling. The installation of windows and rooflights create an expanse of natural light within the building.

The striking blue and white stripe facade represents the flight path of the airfield, which was previously situated on the site many years ago. The building features acoustic panelling and tiles to the Sports Hall, a ceiling sprinkler system and toilets with vanity and Integrated Panel Systems (IPS) units. Externally hard and soft play areas have also been created. While on site, G F Tomlinson recycled 98% of its construction waste which was diverted from landfill, contributing positively to the local environment and the national carbon net-zero agenda. Opportunities were also provided for young people, including 130 hours of supporting young people into work, 94 hours of work experience and alongside this 115 apprentice weeks spent on site. A total of £483,404 social value added was achieved throughout the project. The result of the project is a transformational new school building that enhances the learning and education of pupils in Lichfield, providing them with much-needed school places and state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor facilities.

G F Tomlinson encountered several key project challenges, within the location of the site, and effectively managed these obstacles and liaised closely with neighbouring properties and parties to avoid disruptions. Due to the location being situated within a residential environment, adjacent a house builder, who was already working in close proximity to the school, G F Tomlinson worked closely with the contractor to co-operatively achieve a collaborative approach. As part of this arrangement, regular meetings were held to manage the construction of the new school, alongside the partial completion of the housing development. The route for a new, incoming electrical supply was also redesigned in order to minimise the impact on new residents. Deliveries were carefully scheduled to avoid peak times for the residents and to arrive just in time at separate intervals to avoid congestion and disruption on the surrounding roads for the local community.

G F Tomlinson also arranged for the sports field construction to take place early within the programme, to ensure it could be used by the school in time for the new academic year.

Material supply delays continue to be a major challenge for the construction industry, and in order to avoid any potential issues, G F Tomlinson placed orders in advance and stored materials on site to mitigate delays. The firm also established and maintained close communication with its suppliers on a regular basis, which enabled an early warning of materials shortages and delays, and allowed G F Tomlinson to find alternative products if necessary.

Kevin Dodds, Construction Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We were delighted to mark the official opening of Fradley Park Primary School, we worked collaboratively alongside Staffordshire County Council and Entrust, which has provided much-needed school places for young children within the local area.

“The brand-new facilities and state-of-the-art classrooms have created enhanced environments for children to learn and grow, and it was great to see them explore their fantastic new school.”

Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education Jonathan Price said: “I was really pleased to officially open Fradley Park Primary, which is the latest primary school in the county to be built in response to growing demand for school places in the area. It’s been great to see the first classes of children settling in well to their new school, which looks to be a fantastic place for them to start their education journey.”

Mike Donoghue, CEO of John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust, said: “Fradley Park Primary and Nursery School is a wonderful school, and a superb example of what can happen when a vision for a new community combines with a spirit of collaboration and the sheer hard graft of endeavour.

“Working throughout the development of the school in a spirit of collaboration, I take this opportunity to thank all our partners for their contributions in making the school the amazing place it is. Staffordshire County Council, Entrust, the Department for Education, G F Tomlinson and a host of other organisations have been generous with their time and expertise, and flexible and accommodating in their approach. Deadlines were met, specifications achieved, and budgets adhered to. I thank them all.”

www.gftomlinson.co.uk