Staff and pupils at a Johnstown primary school have signed their names onto structured insulated panels (SIPs) as a significant stage of the new extension is completed and the redevelopment starts to take shape.
To celebrate the milestone, Bodelwyddan-based Wynne Construction organised the ‘SIPs signing ceremony’ with pupils and teachers of Ysgol Yr Hafod, and members of Wrexham County Borough Council.
The company has been appointed by Wrexham County Borough Council to design and build a £4.5m scheme of works to integrate the old schoolhouse with a new extension at the existing junior school site situated on Bangor Road, which is on course for completion in 2023.
Work started on site in March, with three new classrooms and a combined reception and nursery to be created as part of the extension, while the existing building will be reconfigured to provide modern facilities for KS2 pupils.
The first major milestone which has been reached is the completion of the SIPs as part of the new extension, which utilises Wynne Construction’s ‘fabric-first’ approach.
The SIPs, which make up the wall and roof panels of the building, have been manufactured offsite within factory conditions, and allow for rapid erection of the structure in a manner which is both cost and energy efficient.
This also ensures the next milestone of delivering a watertight building can be quickly achieved following installation.
Liam Jones, site manager at Wynne Construction, said: “Everyone at Wynne enjoys celebrating the completion of the SIPs in our school builds, as it reflects the first real step towards the delivery of a modern, high-quality facility.
“Inviting pupils, staff, and council members onto site to make their mark in the history of the school is always an exciting stage of the build, and we hope they all enjoyed learning about how the new extension has been built and having a first look at their new school building.
“Work on the scheme has been progressing well, and now the SIPs work has been completed, we can focus on ensuring the building is watertight before the end of the year.”
The redevelopment of Ysgol Yr Hafod is part of Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning programme.
Cllr Phil Wynn, Lead Member for Education at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “We have an ongoing commitment to update and improve our schools for the benefit of our young learners. It’s great to hear about the progress made at Ysgol Yr Hafod.”
Cllr David Bithell, who was at the event representing Wrexham County Borough Council and the school governing body said: “It was great to see the excitement on the pupils faces as they got to take a look at their future classrooms. The works once completed will be a huge improvement to the educational facilities for children and staff and will unite the school onto one site.”
