FINHAM Park School had an official topping out ceremony this week as work on the new facilities there moved into month five and a step closer to completion.
Chris Bishop, the school’s headteacher, was joined by representatives including trustees, members of Coventry City Council, ABA Consulting, RLB and contractor Speller Metcalfe.
The school’s expansion is as a result of an agreement between Coventry City Council and Secondary Headteacher Partnership to accommodate 180 extra students over the next five years.
The £5.1million project will see the construction of a 1,450sq metre double-storey performing arts block, which will be opening for the start of the next school year.
The new facility will hold two music classrooms and three practice rooms, as well as a music production suite and a dance and drama studio.
Five additional teaching rooms will be added with each room doubling as extra exam space.
Speller Metcalfe is also creating a new sports pitch as part of the school’s expansion plan.
Other features include a dining space big enough to hold the extra pupils, a state-of-the-art kitchen and extra offices.
The steel frame for the building is now complete and is in the process of being made weatherproof. Work can then commence on building the ground floor.
Cabinet member for education and skills at Coventry City Council, Coun Dr Kindy Sandhu, said: “Ensuring quality education for all is a top priority for the council, and this expansion programme will do just that by providing increased opportunities to local families as part of the council’s longer-term plan to meet the needs of our communities.”
Speller Metcalfe’s regional director Rob Lashford added: “The new teaching block is really beginning to take shape and we are delighted to use the topping out ceremony as an opportunity to showcase how far the build has come in a short space of time.”
