School with leaking roof deemed 'not fit for purpose' to get brand new building

A Yorkshire school has revealed ambitious plans for new school buildings, along with the demolition of 12 blocks that are ‘no longer fit for purpose’.

The proposed development will accommodate Wales High School’s 1,859 students and 240 staff members in a three storey U-shaped block that centralizes areas such as a dining hall, library, assembly hall, and drama studio.

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An adjacent sports centre will also be built at the Rotherham school.

The new building will be located on existing sports pitches, minimizing disruption during construction – as the school intends to stay open throughout the works.

How the new Wales High School building could lookHow the new Wales High School building could look
How the new Wales High School building could look

Four separate entrances are planned: a main entrance for staff and visitors, a dedicated student entrance, a discreet entrance for the school’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities programme known as ‘The Bridge,’ and a community entrance for sports facilities.

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The school aims to make its new sports facilities available for community use, and accommodate events and educational activities outside of regular school hours.

Extra parking will be provided as the car parking will be realigned to the front of the building, to reduce congestion at peak times and improve the arrival process for students.

Former headteacher Pepe Di’Iasio told The Mirror in 2022 that the school buildings had suffered more than 50 roof leaks, leaving pupils ‘cold and wet’.

A laundry list of other faults such as collapsed drains, and cracked windows, made the school ‘not really fit for purpose’.

Residents can comment on the plans until November 15.

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