The new build £7.1m two-storey steel-framed Rocester Primary School is one of a number of schools being delivered under the Staffordshire County Council construction projects framework, and will also include various external sporting areas including a sports pitch and MUGA.
Located in the village of Rocester near Uttoxeter, it has replaced two former schools, Dove First School and Ryecroft Middle School, which have been brought together under one roof, although they will still operate as two separate schools.
The chosen site of the new school on Ashbourne Road was a greenfield piece of land owned by JCB, whose headquarters are also situated in the village. In return, JCB had taken the site previously occupied by Ryecroft Middle School in order to convert it into a training centre. This introduced some time restraints on the construction programme as JCB had specific timescales for converting the school into their training facility, and this was a key consideration for the success of the project.
The delivery team commenced the main construction activities on 17th August 2015 despite planning delays and the requirement for a considerable amount of enabling works, including the removal of a Foot and Mouth burial ground which was carried out under strict licence conditions. The cut and fill exercise then commenced, giving the team a balance with no material removed from site.