Wates Construction has handed over new Murray Park School building to Derby City Council.

A £7.8m expansion project taking place at Murray Park Community School in Mickleover is now complete, marking the culmination of a successful partnership between Wates Construction and Derby City Council to deliver the pivotal scheme.

The school’s brand-new building was handed over by Wates following a year of diligent work on site and teachers and students have now moved into the new block, which students have named the Maple Park Centre.

Derby City Council set out its vision for the school in 2017 which has resulted in modernised school facilities and a much-needed increased capacity from 1,100 pupils to 1,650.

Situated in front of the existing school building, the Maple Park Centre features a new reception area, 15 classrooms, as well as modern office space for staff. As part of the refurbishment programme, the school has also benefited from new kitchen areas and a reconfiguration of classroom space.

The new block was designed by Lungfish Architects and the project was procured through the Scape empa framework, which has been superseded by Scape’s Regional Construction framework.

John Carlin, Regional Managing Director, Wates Construction Midlands, said:

It is a testament to Derby City Council’s foresight for the future of Murray Park Community School that we have now handed over these impressive new facilities to staff and students. It was a bold ambition for the school but our first class team has delivered on the Council’s brief to create a truly innovative learning environment for young people. We’ve really enjoyed working with the Council on this project and look forward to seeing the Maple Park Centre’s impact upon those pupils who will access the facilities in the years to come.

Councillor Evonne Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People said:

Good facilities and learning environment in general is integral to the educational development of students, so it’s fantastic to be able to deliver these improvements to Murray Park Community School. There are a number of benefits that come with the expansion of a school in terms of opportunities and curriculum range, and we’re excited to see the positive impact it will have on pupils.

Nicola Caley, Headteacher of Murray Park School, added:

We are thrilled with our fantastic new building. It has completely transformed our students’ educational experience. Working with Wates has been pleasure and the delivery of the building ahead of schedule was much appreciated. We would also like to express our thanks to the local authority who have worked tirelessly in the background to ensure the best service.

Mark Robinson, Scape Group Chief Executive, said:

Building engaging and innovative teaching spaces not only helps to give children the very best start in life but also attracts a high calibre of teaching staff. Murray Park School is an excellent example of the benefits of utilising our collaborative approach to delivery, which has enabled the rapid completion of a quality project, with economic benefits embedded into the local community.

Simon Reid, Managing Director of Lungfish Architects, commented:

We’re really proud to have been part of the design team and thrilled at the reaction the school invokes. Murray Park Community School will provide an additional 550 much needed school places that will provide the children and teachers the high quality spaces they need to thrive.