St Cadoc’s Primary School

Requirement

One of the most valuable assets a school can possess is space; for classes, physical education, after school clubs or simply somewhere for children to shelter during a drizzly breaktime. Each function comes with its own requirements in terms of equipment and design. As a school that is rapidly expanding, St Cadoc’s Primary School near Glasgow needed space for all these things. They found what they were looking for in a modular building provided by Wernick Buildings.

With so many requirements for new accommodation, a new building would above all have to be flexible. In practice this meant the building would need several non-standard features. The building has several security features, including intruder alarms, roller shutters and a video door entry system. To be able to use the building for P.E, however, a 3m clear ceiling height was needed.

To avoid possible damage that might occur during play, Wernick also suggested using an underfloor heating system in place of air conditioning units or wall mounted radiators. This helped the building to achieve compliance with Scottish Building Standards, including SBEM and SER certifications. “Scottish Building Regulations are different from the rest of the UK,” commented Padraig Foley, Company Energy Assessor. “They are more exacting than those in England and Wales, but at the same time more in line with a modular way of thinking. In both instances there’s more work done before construction begins, with the intent of reducing the time on site.”

Outside, children can take shelter from both the rain and the sun under a UV protected canopy. This covers part of the concrete terrace, which features wide stairs, a DDA compliant access ramp and a seating area. The front of the building is finished with wood cladding and colour coated steel which matches the school’s colours. Alex Campbell, school Caretaker, was impressed with the appearance. “I like the colours that were chosen, but above all I was surprised at how much it looks like a traditional building.”

The real value of the building, however, comes from features that cannot be seen but which allow great potential for expansion. The structure is also designed to be able to support a second storey; ideal for a school that is still expanding.