£25m restoration returns Bemrose to former glory
FINAL PHASE COMES TO AN END AFTER FOUR YEARS OF WORK
AMULTI-MILLION-POUND project to restore one of Derby’s most historic schools to its former glory has been completed after the final phase of the skilful renovation project came to an end.
Work has been ongoing for the past four years to bring The Bemrose School, in Uttoxeter New Road, in line with 21st century teaching in a project which has cost £25 million.
The first phase began in 2017 with the creation of a purpose-built three-storey building which enabled staff to teach an additional 700 students.
The building, known as Oak Tree, was carefully designed to complement the original school which was built in 1930 and thousands of bricks were made in a smaller than standard size to match those used on the old construction.
The state-of-the-art building was recognised for its “careful and sympathetic” design with an award from members of Derby Civic Society. It was designed with a flat roof and its height was restricted so the school’s historic green cupolas and clock tower were still visible across the city.
Now staff at the school hope to pick up a second award for its restoration of the original building, which is locally listed meaning any changes had to be seamlessly integrated into the building’s historic fabric.
The school was originally designed by the architect Alexander Macpherson and was built between 1928 and 1930 at a cost of £71,746.
The skilful renovation has seen the building architecturally and environmentally transformed for a new lease of life.
The restoration programme has been extensive; starting with the roof. The original slate tiles were removed, inspected and repaired before being replaced alongside a brand-new ventilation system.
The building was stripped back to brick, after which every single pier was taken down and steels were derusted and repositioned. All the lintels and windows were replaced throughout the building with double-glazed, Teleflex systems, replacing drafty, single-glazed windows which were covered in grills to hold them in place.
The installation of new boilers, masses of insulation in the roof and a brand-new central heating system means the school is temperature controlled.
Internal windows have been replaced with walls, acoustic rafts hang from the ceiling to absorb the sound and the 1930s parquet flooring has been lifted, polished and completely restored.
Concrete steps have been levelled off, carpets replaced, with new wiring and electrics installed throughout making the school more energy efficient. Movement sensors on the lights mean they turn off automatically and water fountains are available on each corridor for the refilling of water bottles, allowing the school to improve its carbon footprint.
Wifi is available wirelessly all over the school site, while servers and hubs have been moved to the basement creating more space.
Each classroom has a teaching wall with a 72-inch interactive screen and powerpoints, the science labs have centrally-controlled gas taps and water as well as height adjustable desks and blackout blinds.
The tradition of naming science labs after famous scientists, which began when the school first opened, has continued by adding a range of more diverse names to the roll call.
The erection of temporary classrooms meant that the school remained open to pupils both throughout the renovation and the pandemic.
School captain Salma Keddara said: “The entire school has been completely transformed and it feels like a brand-new school. The corridors seem significantly wider, which is strange because they aren’t structurally any different.
“The Year 7s are really fortunate because they’ve started their journey in this environment – they don’t know how lucky they are.”
Although there have been many changes across the school site, many of the original features have been maintained, including a fireplace in what was originally the headteacher’s office and a memorial to the 68 old boys of the school who died in the First World War, which is situated in the school’s main corridor.
The original solid oak wall bars in the gymnasium have been taken off, sanded and turned around to prevent wear, while the historic stained glass in the school hall was protected by a birdcage scaffold to prevent damage.
Outside, the school has erected low fencing around all the grassy areas to prevent pupils cutting corners and wooden picnic tables have been provided in a block paved area.
The only work to remain outstanding is for the drains in the car park to be replaced, followed by retarmacking.
Executive head teacher Neil Wilkinson said: “Until work started
on this project the school felt as if it was being held together by decades of temporary measures. The windows were 90 years old and had been painted over so many times they didn’t open any more, and students often had to wear their coats in classrooms because the central heating wasn’t fit for purpose.
“The refurbishment is everything we wanted and more. It feels like a brand new school and it’s a professional environment with the latest technology. The atmosphere inspires learning and creativity instead of being noisy, drafty and, in places, a bit tatty.
“Oak Tree has been open for several years and we found that pupils had so much more respect for their surroundings. We can see this happening throughout the school now – students have a more positive attitude to being here.
“The Bemrose School has a long and proud history of teaching generations of people across Derby. This renovation has future-proofed the school and returned it to its former glory.”