Construction at St. Mary Magdalene is continuing on site and on track to meet target completion dates.

The project began with an urgent need: removing and replacing a RAAC roof. But rather than a like-for-like repair, we saw the opportunity to take on a whole-building refurbishment, retaining the existing structure while addressing the deeper issues affecting the school.

Like many school buildings from the 1960s and 70s, thermal performance was poor, leaving classrooms cold in winter and overheating in summer, an environment that was compromising learning for young children. The refurbishment gave us the chance to rethink both building performance and identity, working closely with the school on how the building could better reflect its values.

To improve thermal comfort and reduce energy use, we’ve reduced glazing area and infilled with insulated double timber frames, added a new green roof with integrated PV panels, and introduced an air source heat pump alongside an MVHR ventilation system, cutting both energy demand and carbon emissions from the outset.

Alongside the performance upgrades, we’ve focused on natural timber elements throughout, doors, cills, windows and skirtings, bringing warmth and tactility to spaces used every day by young children.

The result, as the cladding nears completion, is a building transformed both inside and out: warmer, more efficient, and one that finally feels like the environment it was always meant to be for its pupils.