Hereford Academy

The new school is a two storey structure which is predominantly open plan and is designed to inspire, encourage and motivate students.

The building design includes many environmentally aware features including green roofs, biomass boilers, greywater harvesting and natural ventilation.

Key facts

Hereford Academy is constructed on the site of the former Wyebridge Sports College and is located within a residential area in South Wye, Hereford.

The academy is designed to accommodate 1200 students and staff and the floor area for the building is approximately 10,000m.

Willmott Dixon was appointed to design and construct the Hereford Academy through the PfS National Framework. The project included the construction of the new academy building, car parking, football, rugby, all weather sports pitches and the rationalisation of the site entrances in order to improve access.

A meticulous design consultation process ensured that all stakeholders’ views were responded to, with teaching styles reviewed at length including the requirements for furniture and ICT. The resulting final environment is deemed to facilitate and enhances the learning experience in line with the academy’s vision.

The building includes a green roof system, biomass boiler, greywater harvesting and natural ventilation.

The building form and fabric were designed to passive ventilation principles in order to minimise the mechanical ventilation and cooling requirements to the school. The woodchip fuel for the biomass boilers is sourced locally and significantly reduces the carbon emissions for the building.

The project was constructed in two phases, the first phase comprising the construction of the new academy on the existing Wyebridge College playing fields. The second phase comprised the demolition of the existing educational buildings and the construction of the provision of new sports pitches including all weather multi-use games area. The phased approach to the construction works was designed to minimise disruption to the existing students and staff and to maintain the key services during construction.

Community initiatives

• Taking Year 10 Working Experience students on Construction Site Placements
• Providing an extended work placement for a disadvantaged student to help him to focus and engage him in school to try to prevent exclusion
• The site team assisted the academy in preparing bids for additional funding from the Football Association.
• Community Fun Day – including Willmott Dixon staff giving tutorials on Engineering and bricklaying.
• Viewing panels within the site hoarding to allow the community to view the project during the construction period.
• Site tours which included staff, pupils and apprentices visiting on a weekly basis.
• Site mailbox constructed on the site gates which allowed the community to post comments.
• Newsletters were delivered to the local surrounding community throughout the construction period detailing the on-going construction operations and any effects on the community.