Refurbishment works complete as school opens as a full secondary school

Since February, Stratton School, part of the Meridian Trust, has undergone significant improvements to support the children of Biggleswade, and both students and teachers were excited to begin the term with new facilities.

The refurbishment project supported the transition of the school from an Upper School to a Secondary School, expanding the school’s facilities on offer. It also focused on improving accessibility within the school and introducing more Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) facilities.

The new facilities will provide specialised support, classroom spaces, and resources tailored to the unique needs of children with autism. They will have opportunities to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally within this setting and integrate into the mainstream school. With a focus on inclusive practices and collaboration, an environment has been created where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

This included transforming the former sixth-form space into three new classrooms, a group room, a sensory room, accessible toilets, and changing facilities. A dedicated breakout space was also created to allow students to choose where to spend their breaks.

Principal Sam Farmer expressed his excitement about the transformation, highlighting the new opportunities and experiences it will bring for the students and staff. He said: “This is an incredibly positive milestone for Stratton School, and we are thrilled to embark on this new journey with our amazing students, staff, and community. It’s more than just a new structure; it’s a reimagining of what our school can offer, from a high-quality education to a range of fantastic opportunities and experiences.

“A significant amount of work has gone into preparing high-quality learning environments for our students over the summer, including a new sixth-form café for our Matt King Sixth Form students, classrooms, and library and reading support pods.

“I am very grateful for the support of Meridian Trust, Central Bedfordshire Council, Concertus Design and Property Consultants and Borras Construction in delivering these transformations. We are also proud to welcome over 35 additional staff members this year, who we know will make fantastic additions to our team.”

Each new classroom accommodates up to eight students and features allocated lockers and individual workspaces within group settings with rise-and-fall desks. We introduced internal screens within each classroom to allow students visibility when transitioning between rooms, which will support their varied needs.

At Stratton School’s enhanced resource provision for children and young people with autism, the designers carefully curated a sensory-friendly environment. Using Dulux’s ‘Designing for Autism’ colour schemes, calming greens and blues for the classrooms were chosen to promote focus and prevent overstimulation and soothing pinks and lilacs for the group room to create a peaceful, tranquil space. Every detail was designed with heightened sensory awareness in mind, ensuring a supportive and nurturing learning environment.

Despite being in a separate school wing, the school’s vision was to achieve a fully integrated SEND provision within the existing fabric of the school building where pupils can easily transition between calm and safe designated spaces for their specific learning needs, as well as whole class co-operation within the wider school.

Extensive accessibility works were carried out, including installing new access doors, internal ramps, and state-of-the-art lifts to improve the flow throughout the school and allow better access to the first floor. Introducing lifts was an integral part of this project.

Following the transformation of the sixth form facilities to accommodate new SEND provision, students have been relocated to the former library. Not only were the classrooms refurbished, but the move also allowed for a new ‘Grab and Go’ area with more breakout spaces for students. The sixth form was handed over earlier this year, with the final phase completed at the end of September.

The art room, primarily used for photography, has been rejuvenated as a bright and spacious space to foster creativity. Toilet reconfiguration has also allowed for unisex toilets, as the previous toilets were unsuitable for use. The refurbishment has created a third IT specialist room, with new windows and LED lighting to increase natural daylight and ensure energy efficiency. The existing IT classrooms have also been revitalised.

Working with Borras Construction on this project for Central Bedfordshire Council, Bradley Dedman, Architectural Designer at Concertus, said: “It has been a privilege to be part of the design team for the successful refurbishment of Stratton Secondary School. We are extremely grateful to Meridian Trust and Borras Construction for their collaborative and close working relationship during the construction works. Their commitment and professionalism were instrumental in ensuring that the seven-month refurbishment was delivered on time, even with the added complexity of working within term time.”

By carefully scheduling major works during school holidays, the project team minimised disruption to the student’s learning and allowed the school to remain fully operational throughout the construction period.

The works revitalised key areas of the school and enhanced the environment for both students and staff. We hope that these improvement works will significantly benefit the new cohort of students and support Stratton Secondary School in realising its aspirational vision for the future.