King Edward VI Five Ways School, located in Birmingham, has recently expanded its campus with a custom-designed modular building provided by GCS Group. The new facility features a classroom, office space, changing rooms, and a storage area, offering enhanced support for the school’s outdoor education programme.
Renowned for its commitment to academic success and fostering personal growth, King Edward VI Five Ways School integrates outdoor education as a key component of its curriculum. This approach is aimed at inspiring exploration, encouraging students to take responsibility, and equipping them with the ability to assess and manage risk.
The value of outdoor education has long been recognised, with a 2005 report from the House of Commons underlining its positive impact. The addition of this new facility will allow students greater opportunities to engage in outdoor activities, ensuring these benefits can be further realised.
GCS Group collaborated with TRU Contracts, the project’s lead contractors, to address a series of challenges that arose during the installation phase. Obstacles such as ornamental pillars, large branches, and an out-of-use telephone wire posed significant issues. By tackling these problems early in the planning process, GCS Group was able to ensure the smooth progress of the project. An innovative solution involved the use of a robot to manoeuvre the modular units through restricted areas, avoiding the risks associated with heavy vehicles in confined spaces.
“The position of the classroom made it a challenging task. Access was very tight, along with restrictions for overhead cables,” explained the main contractor from TRU Contracts. “All these issues were dealt with at the early stages of the project, allowing for a fault-free installation. A thoroughly professional job.”
The project highlights the growing trend among schools like King Edward VI Five Ways to adopt modular construction. These buildings combine customisation with cost-effectiveness and rapid completion times, enabling schools to introduce facilities that are well-suited to their specific needs and planned activities.
GCS Group provides comprehensive turnkey services for schools, covering groundworks, installation, and utility connections. For further details on modular construction solutions for schools, visit gcscabins.co.uk.
