Building a future: Holland Park School
Holland Park School needs to step into the 21st century. Buildings that were
state-of-the-art in the 1950s are now holding this ambitious school back.
The Council wants to invest in a new Holland Park School. Not a
refurbishment, but a total rebuild. Right now this is still a wish. No final
decisions have been taken. But the Council believes there are compelling reasons
to take the decision to transform the Holland Park School site.
Protracted problems
There are a number of problems facing the existing Holland Park school
buildings and site. It does not provide a comfortable teaching or learning
environment. The school is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.
Its teaching spaces are inflexible, the PE facilities are inadequate and
outdated and the layout of the site is not efficient, leading to the loss of
valuable teaching time as teachers and pupils move around between lessons.
Financially the school is expensive to run and the costs of maintaining the
buildings are rising. It has spent approximately £1.5 million of its devolved
budget on repairs and improvements to the school over the last three years.
But the real cost of not sorting this situation out is even higher in terms
of the children's educational progress.
A workable solution
Holland Park School is an improving school. Under its new leadership it
continues to make good progress; it has drawn praise from OFSTED for its hard
work. But while the school continues in its outmoded shell, efforts to run it
efficiently will be hampered.
Disruption minimised
Building a new school while continuing to provide the best education possible to
children already there is a serious challenge. The key consideration for the
Council is to minimise disruption for the staff, the students and the local
community.
Some disruption is inevitable but the Council and the school's priority is to
ensure the designers and contractors chosen have experience of major works in
schools which stay open for business.
Financing the change
How much does it cost to rebuild a school? We currently have an estimate of £34
million to redevelop the school although this will need to be reviewed following
the final submission of more detailed plans.
Ironically the inefficient layout of the Holland Park School may provide the
financial answer to the school's problems. The Council intends to pay for the
project by selling the southern part of the site for residential development.
The current site is badly planned with a very inefficient use of space and by
redeveloping the school and its grounds on the northern part of the site and
improving the design it would be possible to build a school with vastly improved
facilities. It would increase the amount of high quality outdoor PE space and at
the same time pay for the project.
Facilities
The new facilities would provide a better climate for learning. The school could
have flexible teaching spaces, a larger library and learning resource centre, a
new sports hall and fitness suite and improved information and communication
technology.
Other improvements could include better catering facilities, a more energy
efficient building, and an underground car park, to free up outdoor space.
The process
Still no final decisions have been made about Holland Park's future. First
the Council must assure the Government it is not recklessly selling off school
land. After careful consideration earlier this year the DfES granted the Council
permission to sell off the southern site at the school.
The Council has subsequently approved funding for a feasibility study to
determine a detailed design; the costs of redeveloping the school; and how it
could be financed best. A notice has been placed in the Official Journal of the
European Community asking for expressions of interest from architectural firms
interested in taking this project forward.
Once the study is completed, the Council will make a final decision on
whether the redevelopment of Holland Park School will go ahead.
Consultation
The Council is consulting extensively on this project and there
will be real opportunity for students, parents and the local community to shape
the school's future during this process.
Already there has been a public exhibition outlining the vision for the
redevelopment at the school in June. The Council will use the design process to
consult with the wide range of stakeholders involved in a project as large as
this one - including staff, parents and governors of the school, and the local
community.
Of course, if this project is given the green light then it will be subject
to the statutory rigours of the local planning process.
Over to you
It is important for us to know your views about the plans to rebuild Holland
Park School. So we urge you to share your views about such a large project with
us, by email or letter.
The contact details are:
Email: hpscomments@rbkc.gov.uk
Holland Park School Redevelopment
Room G08/01
Town Hall
Hornton Street
London
W8 7NX
Alternatively see Tell
us your views.
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