NEED

The Boulevard Academy on Massey Close, west Hull welcomed its first pupils in September 2013. The school, which famously occupies the site of Hull FCs former Boulevard ground, was initially built to accommodate 600 students aged 11 to 16.

As the local population has grown, and the increase in demand for pupil places skyrockets, The Boulevard Academy needed an extension.

Hull Esteem Consortium was appointed as the delivery vehicle on behalf of Hull City Council to bring the project to fruition, along with supply partners Sewell Construction. The extension forms part of Hull City Council’s wider £50m investment into the city’s school.

STRATEGY

A multi-faceted approach was crucial from the outset, with collaboration between all parties was key to ensure all priorities were met. Esteem acted as the conduits between the Authority, the Academy itself, and supply partners to ensure the new-build extension was being constructed in accordance with educational standards along with the Authorities wider educational improvement agenda and baseline requirements.

Esteem had to ensure the extension met planning requirements and functionalities, whilst also ensuring the design blended perfectly into the existing building.
The team facilitated all client engagement meetings, as well as being responsible for the reviewable design data; tracking, designing, and creating them, ensuring programme timelines were being kept on track.

A four-phased delivery plan was developed to ensure minimal disruption to the school’s usual routine as much as possible;

• Phase one – extension of the multi-use-games-area
• Phase two – three-storey main extension
• Phase three – internal remodelling works to the existing school during summer holidays
• Phase four – external works including the creation of a new carpark, new cycle track and footpath, enhanced lighting, soft landscaping, as well as improvements and upgrades to underground power supply

IMPACT

The extension has made an enormous difference to all involved and has not only enhanced the Academy’s way of teaching but has opened even more doors for students through new courses that have been created because of the additional space they now have.

The new-build extension includes;

• An activity studio with ballet bar and double-height room for trampolining
• New dedicated rooms for food technology and textiles
• Two specialist music rooms with four new practice areas for lessons and rehearsals
• Additional computer science facilities

The design has enabled and facilitated the schools preferred teaching format and curriculum, through a more functional layout to not only boost departmental relationships, but create a bigger space for SEN support, group work and music practice all within a purpose-built space.

Throughout the scheme, the supply partners made meaningful connections with the end-users, facilitating numerous engagement activities that were tailored to a unique local needs analysis of the area.

We worked with Sewell Construction to derive a social value strategy to inspire and engage students through;

• Bricklaying workshops
• VR demonstration showcasing digital construction methods and roles on construction sites using a digital model of the steel frame
• Celebrating major milestones on site such as the completion of steel works, inviting Hull FC along to perform a ‘steel kick’ to mark the occasion
• Creation of a ‘Breaking News’ film to celebrate the topping out milestone – watch it here
• STE(A)M hoarding competition and finding driving lessons and other prizes for the winners, as well as showcasing the artwork on the site hoardings surrounding the site compound
• ‘Meet the team’ hoardings in the busy public thoroughfare onto the school site showcasing the partnership between all involved in the delivery process, as well as demonstrating to students to different kinds of roles available in the industry
• Attending Boulevard’s business breakfast and careers fair
• Partnering with external parties such as Mark Swallow, a PhD student, and Senior University Lecturer in Construction Project Management