Northern Bear Building Services is back to work at two very different schools in North East England: Keelman’s Way School in metropolitan South Tyneside and Haltwhistle Middle School in rural Northumberland.
Keelman’s Way School is a nurturing, educational and therapeutic community for pupils aged 2 to 19 most of whom have severe learning difficulties. Northern Bear Building Services built an extension there last year and has just started work on a second extension. They have removed the cladding to the gable of the existing building to expose the steel framed structure. A new structure has been designed to create the extension and the new external fabric will match the existing building. New deep foundations are being constructed to take the structural load below the existing attenuation tank that is in close proximity to the new extension.
In Haltwhistle, Northern Bear Building Services is remodeling the school to alter its use from a secondary school to a primary school and children’s centre. Substantial propping and demolition works are being carried out over three floors of the existing main building to create the new layouts, and new electrical and mechanical services are being installed to create a modern airy environment. Work on site had ceased for several weeks due to the pandemic but it has recommenced and is on target for completion in December this year.