Projects - Education


Photo Accreditation: Silcock Dawson & Partners.


Construction has been completed in July 2020 of a new two storey 410m2 Performing Arts block, connecting with the existing swimming pool and sports hall at Alfriston Girls' Special School in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

The new facility provides additional music and dance teaching spaces and a large performance space supported by a control, editing and recording suite.

Alfriston School itself provides SEN facilities to students (between ages of 11 and 18) within Buckinghamshire and neighbouring local authorities. The school has places for circa 150 pupils and additionally provides for residential care for 35 students. The majority of pupils have moderate learning difficulties and a large majority have additional needs such as speech, language, communication difficulties, sensory impairment and physical difficulties.

The site restraints were especially challenging; the area of construction is sandwiched between the existing leisure facility and "Silver Birch" staff housing. Temporary arrangements for school staff parking, taxi amenities, mini bus parking, contractor parking / storage and offices all had to be carefully assessed.

Silcock Dawson were appointed by Neilcott Construction to undertake a detailed design for construction for the building services, in the most part using Revit 3D modelling to ensure coordination of the Performance Space ventilation duct work within the complex roof void and internal high ceilings.