Warden Construction completes project to help Preston school double pupil numbers

A two-year construction project to enable a Preston primary school to double its pupil intake and transform its facilities has been completed.

Warden Construction has officially handed over the project at Lea Community Primary School which has created four new classrooms, a new playground and an all-weather play area with climbing equipment, sensory garden and interactive area.

As part of the makeover, the school's library, kitchens and areas around the key stage 1 classrooms have also been renovated.

The £3.5m project has been funded through Lancashire County Council’s Department for Education grant.

 It means that pupils will benefit from a hugely improved learning environment and better play facilities, while the school will be able to open its doors to an extra 210 pupils in future years, doubling the current intake.

 Members of the Warden Construction project team joined children, teachers, and councillors to mark the official handover of the new facilities at the school.

 Adrian Atkinson, director of Warden Construction, said: “This has been an incredibly rewarding project for Warden Construction, delivering beautiful new classrooms and modern, state-of-the-art play facilities, as well additional social value outcomes.

 “These improvements will allow children to fully benefit from the new spaces, and the school will now be able to double its intake, which is a fantastic boost for the community.”

Lynne Slater, headteacher, said: “We are very pleased that our children and school community are going to see the benefit of the improvements to our school.

 “The interactive play area and trim trail are wonderful and will really give the children and our school community the chance to grow and to make the most of the learning and play opportunities.

 “This will improve the physical, social and cultural development of pupils, as well as improve their learning opportunities, and provide a significant boost to the local community in terms of additional school places.”

 Coun Matthew Salter, cabinet member for education and skills, said: “I'm delighted to be attending the official handover of the new facilities at Lea Primary School, and to speak to children and staff firsthand about how they welcome these new additions.

 “I was impressed with the standard of the new additions and pleased that we are investing in the future. This will mean that the school can double its intake, and that more children and families in the local community will be able to enjoy learning here in the coming years.”

 Representing Warden Construction at the official handover were director Adrian Atkinson, health and safety advisor Bethany Elder, site manager Andy Worthington, contract manager Geoff Noblett, social value coordinator Heather Thompson, and marketing assistant Laura Atkinson.

 As part of its social value delivery on the project, Warden undertook several school visits to engage pupils in construction learning activity and also donated prizes for the school’s summer fairs over the course of the project.

 The project also saw new planting and landscaping with 30 new trees and 10 new bushes, while two new electric vehicle charges and solar panels were also incorporated into the project.

 The professional team included North Star (groundworks) and Walsh IBS (mechanical).