ACE

Haveley Hey Community School

Creating outdoor and sensory spaces for the students to be able to learn and develop new skills

Creating outdoor and sensory spaces for students

Creating interactive spaces for pupils

Client

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ACE member

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AtkinsRéalis volunteers used their volunteer time to provide the design an outdoor classroom and sensory space, to improve social, emotional and mental needs for the students.

  • Location

    Manchester

  • Client

    Haveley Hey Community School

  • ACE Member

    AtkinsRéalis

  • Services

    Architecture, Structural Engineering, Marcomms, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Funding Sourcing

  • Project
    Summary

  • Delivery date

    30/11/2022

  • Delivery partners

    None

  • Project length

    1.5 years

AtkinsRéalis employees used their volunteer time to provide the design for an outdoor classroom and sensory space at Haveley Hey Community School, in Wythenshawe.  

The school has one of the highest numbers of looked after children (LAC) in Manchester, as well as a significant number of pupils with Special Educational need and Disabled (SEND).

The children have been involved in the design process, and are committed to ensuring that it is environmentally friendly, having chosen a sedum green roof to provide an important microclimate for insects, bird life and other species.

The new facility was designed to support the emotional and mental health of both the children and their families by providing a safe space to explore nature, develop resilience and manage risk appropriately.

The site has been designed around the five senses with five break-out tables so the children can take part in different activities in smaller groups, as well as a large outdoor shelter for the class to come together and a fire pit.

Other environmental elements of the design include bee and bug hotels, owl habitats, a water recycling feature and careful selection of natural materials.

Upon completion, the press were invited to garner broader support from the local community and to encourage local businesses to lend their skills to the scheme.

This endeavor proved successful, with several local engineering and design consultancies offered their services pro bono.

 

The project was shortlisted for Consultancy & Engineering Awards and Social Value Award –Architect of the Year Awards.

The project was also Highly Commended in the Pupil/Student Experience award at Education Estates 2023.

Haveley Hey 2 - consultancy40ImageSlider

Leaving a lasting legacy

Haveley Hey Community School now run tours for interest groups wanting to do similar projects, to showcase this brilliant social value outcome and how to achieve it.

An important aspect of the build which will enrich the urban community environment is the introduction of nature.

KPIs achieved

  • 11 AtkinsRéalis volunteers offered 258 hours with 90 hours from the Supply chain.
  • 30 suppliers engaged
  • £3000 Donated
  • 150kg of CO2 sequested by the roof per year.
  • 5kg of CO2 sequested by the sedum roof per year.
Leanne Stalker - consultancy40Quote
The outdoor classroom and learning space has been the most amazing addition to the school grounds. Each week, classes use the space for their outdoor learning curriculum. There are so many different elements to the project that have been used well that it's hard to pick a favourite: the classroom structure meant that we could use the outdoors even when it was raining; the tables and chairs mean that the children can engage in the learning outside; the trees have meant that the whole area feels more 'alive'! Even the mound of excavated ground has been used by year 5 to create rivers running down them. One of our main aims at Haveley Hey is to create experiences and to engage the children in their learning. The new outdoor classroom space really enables us to do this!

Leanne Stalker, Deputy Head

Haveley Hey Community School