Laurus Didsbury High School

A novel twin core approach supports learning and socialising

A 1,350-place secondary education facility and sixth form located on the site of the former Littlemoss School.

Its cutting edge facilities include a sports hall and fitness suite, a three-court multi-use games area, teaching spaces, a performance hall, learning centre and special educational needs resources.

Project details

Client: ESFA/Laurus Trust
Contractor: BAM Construction
Architect: Pozzoni
Structural Engineer: Ramboll
M&E Consultant: Ramboll Service Engineering/BAM SE
Landscape Architect: Dally Henderson

View related projects

1350

place secondary school and sixth form

Hive

space for pupil interactions

Construction

house of a hedgehog house, log reindeers and bug hotel

Designed to support learning and socialising

The building’s novel ‘twin-core’ approach provides two bright and spacious areas for congregation, a four-storey, vaulted dining hall and the Hive, a space for pupil interactions, designed around the school’s iconic honeycomb logo.

Similar subjects are grouped together to aid navigation around the building, with ICT, Science and Maths all taught in close proximity to one another. Laboratory space has been intelligently located so that any noxious fumes can be ventilated away from public areas, while the art classroom has inspirational views across the schoolyard and outdoor play areas.

Enhancing the lives of local residents

BAM worked with Manchester City Council’s Community Team to convert a bowling green pavilion into a café. Our Project Manager also volunteered at Learning in the Woods Forest School where he built a hedgehog house, two log reindeer and a ‘Bug Hotel’ with the children.

With the Laurus Trust, BAM supported other local schools and organisations to give young people from the local area a taste of careers in construction and improve their employability through site visits, educational sessions and work experience. We had four work experience students on site providing them with a great experience and a better understanding of the processes involved in constructing a building.