26 March
The redevelopment of St Paul’s Way Trust
School moved one step closer this week when the last beam of the
new roof was put in place, marking a significant milestone in the
school’s transformation.
St Paul’s Way Trust School is being completely
rebuilt as part of Tower Hamlets’ Building Schools for the Future
programme, which is investing over £300 million into 21 secondary
schools in the borough.
The new premises will offer a creative
and dynamic learning environment, complete with its own theatre,
art gallery and state of the art sports and library facilities, as
well as providing facilities for the whole community to use,
including an internet café and careers centre. St Paul’s Way
Trust School will have a science specialism with its
new Faraday unit, providing cutting edge science
facilities and curriculum based on the Faraday model.
Long-listed for a World Architecture News
Award 2010 for its innovative design, the £36 million building will
open in Spring 2011. Funded by Tower Hamlets Council,
Partnerships for Schools and London Thames Gateway Development
Corporation, the new school will provide an inspirational learning
environment for children and young people in the borough.
Headteacher Grahame Price said: “This project
is about having a vision for how education can change for the
better. I am confident that the outstanding facilities in the new
building will have a very positive impact on learning and
achievement.”
Student Shamima Khan agreed, saying: “We’re
all ecstatic because our school is going to be the first Faraday
school in East London. We can’t wait for it to be ready.”
Interim Director of Children, Schools
and Families, Isobel Cattermole, added:
“We are committed to providing a learning
environment where every young
person in Tower Hamlets
can maximise their potential and achieve their very best. St
Paul’s Way Trust School has been designed with this purpose in mind
and will provide an engaging environment
where pupils will be given a modern platform to launch
their future studies and career.”
Managing Director of Bouygues UK Lionel
Christolomme said:
“We are very proud to have reached structural
completion of the school and it is down to the tremendous team
spirit we share with Tower Hamlets that this has been achieved in
just 15 months. Underlining our commitment to the school is our
commitment to the community in which we work and we will continue
to focus on the employment of local staff and suppliers and on new
recruits for our apprenticeship scheme for the remainder of our
time here.”
Peter Andrews Chief Executive of the London
Thames Gateway Development Corporation said:
“LTGDC’s investment in St Paul’s Way Trust
School has enabled state-of-the-art science facilities and teaching
programmes which have been a vital catalyst in the school achieving
Project Faraday status. Putting science at the heart of the
curriculum will allow students to make the most of the health and
science job opportunities that are being created in the local
community.”
The school is also part of the wider St Paul’s
Way Transformation Project, a regeneration scheme that is bringing
major improvements along the street. As well as a new health
centre, there are also planned refurbishments to the area’s housing
and streetscape.