The future is bright for Hollingworth
5
September 2011
Staff and pupils of Hollingworth Business and Enterprise College
in Milnrow have had a very special start to the new academic year
with the opening of their brand new £21m school, the first to be
completed as part of Rochdale’s £192m Building Schools for the
Future Programme.
The new school buildings and grounds have been designed and
constructed in association with inspiredspaces (Rochdale’s local
education partner), Carillion and Ryders architects.
In addition to supporting traditional learning, every space
within the new school is fitted out with the latest e-learning
technology which will enable the school's curriculum to be
delivered in new and exciting ways.
There is also a dedicated ICT suite and Learning Resource
Centre located to the front of the building which can be opened up
to the community for use outside school hours while the community
will also benefit from upgraded sports and changing facilities as
well as a new space for theatre and drama.
The building has been designed to be sustainable and
incorporates a range of energy saving features such as
sensor-operated lights and low energy luminaires in addition to
on-site renewable energy sources and rainwater harvesting.
Hollingworth BEC is one of 13 secondary schools that are being
rebuilt or refurbished in Rochdale as part of the Building Schools
for the Future (BSF) scheme.
Councillor Donna Martin, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools
and Families, said:
“The new school isn’t just about bricks and mortar but is firmly
about designing the future of learning at Hollingworth Business and
Enterprise College, and staff and pupils from the school have been
involved throughout the design process”
“The school’s design brief throughout was to deliver facilities
to support and enhance the outstanding teaching and learning
recognised by the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection. It
certainly looks as though this brief has been met - and more!”
Keith Hill, BSF Lead at Rochdale Borough Council, said:
“The completion of the new school building is excellent news;
the college now boasts state-of-the-art facilities that will bring
real benefits to the staff and all their students. Rochdale Borough
Council is committed to education and this project is an example of
our intention to provide first-class facilities for the
future.”
Claire Butler, General Manager for inspiredspaces Rochdale,
said:
“Having been involved with this project right from the outset,
it is very exciting to be able to walk around the finished school
and to see the design really brought to life. It is great to see
this level of investment brought into the borough. I am delighted
that we have been able to spend over £2 million of this investment
directly with local contractors and suppliers, as well as support
local jobs and apprenticeships throughout the project.”
“These fantastic new facilities could not have been achieved
without the hard work of everyone involved, and I would like to say
a big thank you to the Carillion site team who have worked long
hours to make the scheme happen, and to the Rochdale Council team
and school staff who have been so engaged and supportive throughout
the whole process. I wish the school every success as they settle
into their new home”.