GLOSSOPDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Sectors : Learning

Client : Derbyshire County Council

DLA in collaboration with Henry Brothers Construction, were successful in a competitive dialogue procurement process with Derbyshire County Council to deliver a new secondary school and sixth form college as part of an amalgamation of 3 schools.

The new build £22 million School project is comprised of General and Specialist Teaching spaces, a Learning Resource Centre as the central focus, and a Performing Arts and Community Sports Centre acknowledging a desire to create a school which can be used as a viable and essential community asset; as well an outstanding teaching establishment.

The new school creates 1000 student spaces alongside 200 sixth form spaces. The sixth form and community areas – as recommended within the brief – have a separate identity within the context of the wider school use. Community use areas have the potential to operate independently or flexibly within the requirements of the college’s day to day use, ensuring the safeguarding of pupils can be maintained.

The location of the sixth form block sits at the top of college and promotes the ‘journey through the school’ presenting a hierarchy of space within, dependant on age and responsibility. The sixth form provides its own unique identity on the second floor, is visible both inside and out (clad in translucent back lit panels) allowing the college to be seen as a ‘beacon of the community’ where it competes with neighbouring colleges.