GRAHAM Construction has held a topping out ceremony to mark a milestone in the construction of a new Sports Centre at Oundle School.

The event gathered representatives from the privately-owned contractor and Oundle School to celebrate the progress of the £24 million project.

Once complete in Spring 2020, Oundle School Sports Centre will accommodate a 50-metre swimming pool, an eight court sports hall that offers adaptable playing space for a range of sports, as well as the opportunity for whole School assemblies through the use of retractable seating, a 70-station fitness suite, a dedicated dance studio, and three further multi-purpose rooms.

Dual use has been factored into the development to ensure that there will be year-round community and sports club access to the state-of-the-art facilities that span 5,000m2 of space.

Designed by Saunders Boston Architects, GRAHAM has implemented a range of off-site manufacturing processes into its construction programme with the main frame being constructed of Cross Laminated Timber panels, providing a sustainable structure with a high-quality finish.

Commenting on the project, Ronan Hughes, GRAHAM Regional Director, said: "The topping out ceremony represents a significant milestone in the construction of the new Sports Centre at Oundle School. We are proud to be working in partnership with Oundle School, which is one of England's leading co-educational independent schools.

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"The new Centre will provide its pupils with elite sporting facilities, and will help support the School's vision to deliver a ‘thoughtful vision of sport' to approximately 1,100 pupils at Oundle as well as a further 260 pupils at Laxton Junior School. Importantly, the multi-functional sports development will also be a hub for sporting and physical well-being activities for the wider community of the market town.

"GRAHAM has a proud tradition in the education sector, and this exemplar project is a further example of the technical expertise, quality and attention to detail that will deliver lasting impact to the pupils and wider community of Oundle."

Oundle School, in Northamptonshire, is the third largest independent co-educational day and boarding school in England. Its pupils range from ages 11 – 18 and it also has a Junior School; Laxton Junior School for pupils aged 4 – 11.

The School has invested considerably in its sporting infrastructure as part of a wider Sports MasterPlan that has also led to the development of a new athletics track, eight additional tennis courts, two new AstroTurf pitches, and six additional netball courts.

Speaking at the topping out ceremony, Sarah Kerr-Dineen, Head of Oundle School, said: "The new Sports Centre is really starting to take shape and to become a reality. For all of us who have been part of the process from the beginning, it is exciting to see the progress that is being made. The facilities will support sport at a top competitive level whilst catering for a multitude of sports and leisure activities at all levels, not just for our pupils but the broader community of which the School is a central part.

"We want our pupils to take from School the attitudes, knowledge and enthusiasms that will support a happy, productive adult life. This must also be true of our School sport, and this new Sports Centre will make a massive contribution to realising this ambition."

(MH/JG)