The £18.2m St John Bosco Arts College in Croxteth, Liverpool is a phoenix risen from the ashes, having initially been scrapped along with Building Schools for the Future in 2010, then resurrected by Liverpool council. Now the girls’ Catholic comprehensive is part of a £169m programme to rebuild 12 schools and invest in several others, thanks to Liverpool’s City Deal with the government.
Vinci Construction, the main contractor on the scheme, has now completed the three-storey facility, which specialises in the visual and performing arts.
The building is characterised by its bold colour scheme, and large connected communal and circulation spaces arranged beneath a warehouse-like white trussed roof. The open-plan design was developed to create a less rigid teaching environment.
Above: Social and education space are blended together. Below: The building is characterised by its bold colour scheme
The college features dance and drama studios and a fitness suite, a performance area, an all-weather sports pitch and a multi-games area located in the middle of the development. There is also a learning resource centre and a terrace that is able to accommodate full-year groups for assemblies, performances and lectures.
St John Bosco Arts College has become one of 350 schools in England to be granted “teaching school” status, which allows it to lead the training and professional development of staff in schools across the region.
As part of the contract, Vinci committed itself to employing local labour and maximising the opportunities for local firms to become involved in the scheme. About 65% of staff working on site in the first phase of construction were from the Croxteth area, and a similar proportion of contracts were let to local firms. Six site apprentices were also appointed to the scheme.
John Fowler, the project manager for Vinci Construction, said: “The building really addresses the specialist requirements of the college. We were delighted to provide the facilities that support the arts curriculum of the school, which will be enjoyed by students and staff.”
