New building update

We are delighted to report that our building contractor Kier Eastern started work on our new school building back in September and are making excellent progress.

Our new location will be made up of both old and new. The distinctive existing warehouses have formed part of the landscape of Dagenham East for many years on the May & Baker site. The roof and sides of the warehouse are being stripped back and will be clad with modern, energy efficient material. The existing warehouse will be the hub of our engineering department and house our extensive engineering workshops and equipment. The new three storey teaching block will be built in front of the existing buildings and will provide excellent new facilities for our science department, core subjects, a sports hall, dining facilities and a tiered lecture hall.

The new teaching block frame is made from cross laminated timber (CLT) that is being made to our specification in Austria and is due to be delivered to site in January. One of the advantages of using CLT is the speed of construction. To date, most of the work is below ground but once the frame is delivered in January, we should see our building really take shape very quickly!

We will be arranging for visits to the site for students once the building above ground begins. We will keep you informed.