Rising from the ashes

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Platanos College is at the heart of the community it serves. Parents are welcome in the school and there is a wide range of opportunities for learning and community involvement.

Rising from the Ashes

The story of the building of the new school
Platanos College has recently been rebuilt.  You can take a virtual tour here and read below about how the new building came to life.

Our ideas about the new school building started with a vision. We envisaged the type of building that we would need in order to house the school for the twenty first century.

We wanted to have areas dedicated to different age-group communities in the school. We wanted to create an environment where pupils could take ownership of their own learning journey, and we wanted a building which could be both formal and informal, both business-like and welcoming, a special place for children, staff, parents and the community, a learning hub for all.

Platanos College was the first school design under the Building Schools for the Future programme to be given an ‘Excellent Building’ award by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. It was also one of a very few new schools to be rebuilt on site with the whole school population remaining in place throughout the process. Governors, staff and pupils were faced with a massive challenge. They were, however, determined that there would be no dip in learning or achievement for any pupil during the time of the rebuild.

Pupils had their say about the design and facilities right from the start. They wanted the highest standards in ICT facilities so that they could work independently from any part of the school. They wanted light, roomy, airy spaces with the school houses represented in the colour scheme. Above all, they wanted really good sports facilities both indoor and outdoor, as well as relaxed areas for break and social times.

Throughout the time of the rebuild, groups of pupils visited Willmott Dixon Construction’s site offices to meet key staff, to ask questions and to find out about careers in architecture, building, engineering, project management and the skilled trades.

At last, three years on, we are now fully installed in the new building and everyone loves it.

Please take time to explore our exciting new school by taking a virtual tour.