Fir Vale Secondary School

As part of a PFI consortium, GHM were commissioned to provide architectural services to facilitate an increase in the provision of pupil places at Fir Vale Secondary School in Sheffield, as a result of a growth in local population.

GHM originally designed Fir Vale School on a tight urban site in the 1990’s. To increase the size of the school premises further, without compromising the learning environment, was a key challenge.

At the feasibility stage, GHM consulted in detail, with both Sheffield City Council and the school governing body, to consider a range of design options. Through this consultation process the design and brief evolved to create a new learning wing to the rear of the existing building.

The extension created an opportunity to design and construct a secondary entrance to the school and allowed the new development to react positively within the local community and environment. The new facility provided a creative arts and science learning environment connected to the main building at a central location for ease of access.

The project further evolved other learning, support and external accommodation within the school for the benefit of all students and staff. The scheme achieved a BREEAM Very Good status.