The Hamble School

SEND Education Buildings

We supply bespoke SEND school buildings, offering both temporary and permanent classroom solutions to meet the growing needs of the education sector.

• Bespoke design developed in close collaboration with the Forres Sandle Manor (FSM) team.
• Two-stage procurement, with Stage 1 PCSA through to RIBA Stage 3, followed by Stage 2 construction and handover.
• Delivery on a busy, live, and highly sensitive school site.
• A new incoming electrical supply was provided to the school via their DNO.
• Completed on budget and on programme.

This 2025 project for FSM was procured through an initial competitive tender process to appoint a preferred contractor to undertake the Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA), including all required surveys and the full RIBA Stage 3 design.

During the PCSA period, we worked collaboratively with FSM and their fit-out partner, Westcountry Group, who designed and supplied the specialist science fit-out for three science classrooms, two prep rooms, and a chemical store. This process followed a structured design-development approach, supported by regular design team meetings with all stakeholders. The school played a vital role in the design, ensuring that all functional and educational requirements were fully incorporated.

The agreed design featured a fully glazed entrance atrium and lift, three science classrooms with prep rooms and chemical store, two art rooms, a large Design Technology classroom with integrated IT suite, library, maths room, and staff room. WC facilities were provided on both floors, with the ground-floor WCs designed for community use by the MUGA and cricket pitch. These WCs were fitted with access-control systems at the entrance, while maintaining secure separation from the rest of the school.

The project was designed in-house, led by our Head of Design and Technical Compliance, Roger Sitch, working in partnership with structural engineers D4S, MEP consultants, and the wider FSM team.

Project delivery was overseen throughout by our Education Project Director, Wayne Cheshire, who worked closely with all stakeholders to ensure the building was handed over defect-free, on time, and within budget.

Day-to-day site operations were managed by our Site Manager, Andy Walker, who liaised daily with the school to ensure safe working practices within the live school environment and to safeguard pupils, staff, and visitors.

The opening of our £3.5 million STEAM Building represents a significant milestone for Forres Sandle Manor, and working with Rollalong was central to bringing this vision to life.

From the earliest conversations, Rollalong demonstrated a clear understanding of the needs of a busy school environment and the importance of creating flexible learning spaces. Their experience gave us confidence throughout the process, and their collaborative approach ensured the building reflected our academic ambitions and the character of our school.

The project was delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption to school life, which was extremely important to us. Communication was clear and consistent, and we felt supported at every stage.

The finished STEAM Building has already had a huge impact on teaching and learning, providing pupils with inspiring spaces to learn science, technology, art and mathematics. We are incredibly proud of the result and would highly recommend Rollalong to any school looking to invest in quality purposeful learning environments.

Sustainable Living in the South Downs National Park

For more information on this project or to find out how we can help you, complete the contact form.

Project Details

Key Features of the Nursery Building

• 100m² of teaching space
• Four pupil toilets
• An accessible toilet (also used by staff)
• A kitchenette for food preparation within the main pupil accommodation
• A wet area with a paint pot sink and a separate wash hand basin
• A small quiet area for discussions with parents (not required to be a separate room)
• An entrance lobby with a small cloak area
• General storage, both internal and external
• A suitably fenced external play area
• Easy access from the nursery to the school hall and other school entrances

Working with Modular Construction on a Live Site

I would just like to pass on my thanks and recognition of how professional the team have been throughout the project. They have been very approachable and professional and had a great understanding of what was required of them when working in a live SEND school. The team were easy to engage with, and it has been a pleasure working with them.

Background

The Dorset Centre of Excellence is home to Coombe House School, Dorset’s largest SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) school, dedicated to providing every young person with the opportunity to thrive. The school fosters an enriched learning environment that is safe, supportive, and tailored to meet the needs of students with complex learning challenges.

Set within 55 acres of woodland, Coombe House School serves pupils aged 5–19 with high support needs. The estate features a blend of historic and modern buildings, complemented by exceptional facilities and open green spaces designed to inspire learning, build confidence, and develop essential life skills.

As part of a broader estate restructuring, a new SEND teaching facility was introduced to enhance educational opportunities for children with special educational needs and disabilities across Dorset.

Project Brief

The objective was to deliver a high-quality modular building that seamlessly integrated with the existing school in terms of form, materials, and massing. Designed as a standalone structure, the new facility provides direct access from the existing playground while remaining near other school buildings.

To minimise disruption to school operations, Rollalong adopted an offsite modular construction approach. Pre-manufactured modules were transported to the site for assembly, commissioning, and service connections.

The new facility has a gross internal floor area (GIA) of 460m² and includes the following:

• Four classrooms, each with a dedicated breakout room and storage.
• A sensory room, therapy rooms, hygiene facilities, staff areas, and a visiting therapist’s office.

Click to view detailed floorplan

Design & Delivery

This project was a turnkey project delivered through the SMBF framework using a two-stage tender process. Rollalong was appointed to progress the design from RIBA Stage 2 to Stage 3, working in collaboration with AtkinsRéalis, Dorset Council, and the school. The design development followed a structured process, including regular design team meetings (DTMs) to ensure continuous stakeholder engagement.

The facility design was led by our Head of Design and Technical Compliance, in close collaboration with AtkinsRéalis, Dorset Council, and the school’s leadership team. Project management was overseen by our Education Project Director, who ensured timely and budget-conscious delivery.

The modular building was constructed using a hot-rolled steel system, ensuring durability for a high-use environment. The façade features timber hit-and-miss cladding with a parapet design. At the same time, a rooftop-mounted plant, including air-source heat pump condensers, provides efficient climate control.

The design and build project included extensive groundworks, including a new haulage access road suitable for fire truck access and landscaping. Site duration was 24 weeks.

Key Challenges & Achievements

• Sensitive Live Site – The project was delivered within an operational SEND school, requiring careful coordination to minimise disruption.
• Extensive Groundworks & Access Road – The project included a large groundworks package of works, including the creation of a new road to access the site. These works were the most disruptive, but were managed sympathetically and with regular communication and meetings with the school.
• On-Budget Delivery – Despite the complexities, the project was completed within the agreed timeframe and budget.

For more information on this project or to find out how we can help you, complete the contact form.

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]Background

Castle School Education Trust is a family of primary and secondary schools working together in and around Bristol. Lyde Green Primary School on the north-east edge of Bristol is one of nine schools in the trust.

In 2020 South Gloucestershire Council committed to investing capital funding to expand Lyde Green Primary School by creating additional accommodation provided through a new building co-located with the proposed new secondary school.

The Castle Schools Education Trust’s proposal to expand the primary school was approved by the Regional Schools Commissioner and additional pupil places were made available from September 2022.

Rollalong was commissioned to design and construct the new building using offsite modular construction techniques. The project was procured via the South West Procurement Alliance MB2 framework.

Brief

The objective was to provide a modular extension which would be co-ordinated with the form, materials and massing of the existing school building. The extension needed to stand alone and be accessed from the existing playground.

The brief specified modular units constructed offsite and transported to the school for assembly, commissioning and connection to services.

The layout comprised five modules, a central core module housing an entrance lobby, toilets, storage and plant space. Either side of the central core was a two-module music room and a two-module staff room.

Design & delivery

The project was completed in a challenging timeframe during the school summer holiday period to minimise disruption to teaching and school life.

Rollalong manufactured five modules in total for the new building, which features an air-source heat pump and pressure-treated timber external cladding.

The roof features timber hit and miss cladding fixed to a structural framework and acoustic insulation to protect against rain noise.

The structural frame of the building is manufactured from Rollalong’s Xpand system with steel floor frame and timber wall studs suitable for a heavy wear / heavy duty location, and there are full height partitions between each room area.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

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A shortage of primary school places in Wokingham created the need for a new single-form entry primary school in the borough. Wokingham Borough Council asked Rollalong to provide them with a new single-form entry primary school in Charvil which would be handed over and run as an academy by the nearby Piggott School.

An offsite solution was chosen because the project was urgent and because of the build quality that Rollalong can provide.

Client engagement

Rollalong was one of two named contractors on the Pillar Consultancy Framework (2011 to 2015) for the provision of modular buildings for education. A number of standard building designs were offered under the framework, with the option for bespoke design variations.

Rollalong was contacted in October 2012 by the Building Resources Team at Wokingham Borough Council. They had an urgent need to provide primary school places for the following academic year and appointed us on the basis of a direct call-off under the framework agreement.

Members of our team attended a greenfield site meeting with the Wokingham Council project team, during which the requirements for the new school building, school and communal car parking, multi-use games area and tennis court were discussed in detail.

At this stage Rollalong agreed to undertake the role of principal contractor and to undertake all site survey works, design works and service investigations.

Brief

We needed to develop a single-form entry school for Wokingham Borough Council which would ultimately to be handed to over The Piggott C of E Academy. The development of the layout was in line with the brief and in accordance with the Area Guidelines for Mainstream Schools (BB103) which provided the required classroom sizes for reception, KS1 and KS2, library, food science, group rooms, ICT and SEN while also providing a 187m² hall and kitchen servery.

In line with the brief, our design included a passive ventilation system to comply with BB101 and BB93 acoustic requirements. A target of BREEAM “very good” was also required and included in our development of the school.

Externally the greenfield site was in a residential area and various external finish cost options were discussed. A traditional brick finish with tiled duo pitched roof was finally chosen to meet the brief and to be sympathetic to the surrounding residential location. This location was also adjacent to existing communal playing fields, tennis courts and multi-use games area, and as the completed facilities were also to be available for communal use, we worked with the client to include an additional Sports England sized multi-use games area and two tennis courts; this allowed the original tennis courts to be used as an external playground area for the school.

Collaborative approach

We were responsible for the development and the planning process, and we took part in a number of meetings with local planning officers and the school. At these meetings we were always accompanied by our client as part of the collaborative approach. Planning consent was achieved with no objections, which was a testament to the positive engagement of all parties during the planning period.

Our collaborative approach allowed us to phase the construction and accommodate a very late client design change in terms of classroom sizes while still providing a building for the new reception year intake in September. The second phase of construction was carefully programmed to minimise disturbance to a now live school while also providing an ideal learning opportunity for the new pupils to safely view key elements of their classroom building being constructed.

Management of costs

The costs associated with the scheme were presented to Wokingham Borough Council in the form of a schedule of rates which related directly to the Pillar Framework Schedule. The building cost was fixed, and included site prelims, substructure foundations, external works, provision of services, MUGA pitch and car parking.

The cost proposal was independently audited by The Pillar Consultancy prior to the order being placed.

Risks associated with services and utilities, ground conditions, foundation design and access to the site were identified during initial survey works and were mitigated against at the pricing stage. Any non-framework costs were priced at an agreed specialist subcontractor + OH&P mark up.

Site progress meetings were undertaken weeklybetween Wokingham Council’s Project Manager and Rollalong’s Head of Construction, Project Manager and Site Manager, as well as key sub-contract managers if required. Programme and cost matters were discussed and addressed at these meetings and the scheme was delivered to budget.

Management of design

The Rollalong design team had to understand how the building could best operate to provide our client with a fully effective teaching environment while making best use of the Rollalong modular solution. The completed building comprises 31nr discrete cold rolled steel modules arranged to provide the main spine and teaching wing of the school. A full understanding from our design team meant the integration of hot rolled steel members allowed for the open plan area for the classrooms. To provide the complete school in line with BB103 we used a combination of modular and in-situ construction, using a steel frame for the height requirements for the 187m² hall.

Completion

The Charvil Piggott Primary School was officially opened on July 14th 2015 by The Rt Hon Theresa May MP.

The 32-module building includes a reception classroom, six further classrooms, a library, a science / art room, a fully functioning kitchen with servery, a 190m² hall and other ancillary areas. Outside facilities include a multi-use games area and tennis courts all designed and developed by the Rollalong team.

In spite of delays caused by the exceptional cold weather, which increased the hibernation period by five weeks on site, the first-year entry of 24 pupils started as planned at the start of the new school year, just 11 months after the initial enquiry.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Background

Mill Rythe Junior School is based just outside Portsmouth on Hayling Island, Hampshire. Rollalong was contacted by Hampshire County Council to provide a high-quality, bespoke classroom building which needed to fit into a relatively small footprint within the school site and satisfy the needs of the school, the planning authority, and the local residents’ association alike.

A member of the Rollalong special works team attended a site meeting at the school, during which the specific requirements for a classroom building were discussed. The outline constraints of the site were surveyed at the initial meeting stage and building layouts were proposed, along with budget estimates of cost. Having been shortlisted, Rollalong then invited Mill Rythe’s headteacher and bursar to view a number of our completed projects, and to speak privately with the end users.

After Rollalong was awarded the project, additional meetings were held with the CDM co-ordinator and project manager appointed by the school, and with the local residents’ association. The school and Rollalong gave a presentation to the local residents to demonstrate the appearance of the building and the impact on the local surroundings.

Survey, design development and approvals

Rollalong attended site with a topographical surveyor, services surveyor and approved groundworks contractor to undertake a full survey of the proposed location for the building and to ascertain the feasibility of service provision. Soil investigation works were undertaken by an approved Rollalong contractor, and our design engineer revised the sales layout plans and elevation drawings following discussions with both the headteacher and client.

The building Rollalong offered was a bespoke design utilising six modules of Rollalong HCC modular system measuring 3.0m wide x 8.4m long. This comprised one classroom with a kitchenette area including sinks and drainers, a lobby, accessible WC, two WCs and two storerooms. The design drew upon elements of buildings previously visited by Hampshire County Council, as well as the guidelines provided in Building Bulletins 99 and 103 and the requirements of the planning authority.

Management of costs

We presented a formal quotation of costs to the school, which was independently assessed by the project manager, and identified the risks associated with buried services and utilities, ground conditions, foundation design and access to site during our initial survey works and these were mitigated against at the pricing stage. Risk items including a road closure for craning operations, photovoltaic cell provision at the requirement of the planning authority and additional ventilation owing to planning constraints on window size were all identified and costs apportioned.

We ensured that site progress meetings were held fortnightly between the contracts manager and client project manager, during which programme and cost matters were discussed and addressed as required. The scheme was delivered to budget and ahead of programme.

Management of resources

All projects delivered by the Rollalong special works team are approached in the same manner. Initially we arrange a pre-start meeting which all key project stakeholders attend so that we are able to introduce our delivery team.

Next, we appoint a dedicated project and site management team; all Rollalong projects undertaken within schools are supervised by a full time site manager, supported by a contracts manager who oversees the delivery of the work from start to finish.

Project progress meetings are then held fortnightly after work has officially begun and is attended by the client’s project manager, site manager and contracts manager.

Subcontractors are also appointed in line with an ISO 9001 accreditation process. All site staff involved in the erection and completion of the building are directly employed Rollalong operatives, providing peace of mind for both the project and client teams.

Handover

The building was successfully handed over in 2018, one week ahead of programme. All buildings delivered by Rollalong are supplied with two hard copies and one electronic copy of a full operation and maintenance manual, delivered at the handover meeting stage or within the following two weeks.

Demonstration of the mechanical and electrical installations are provided by the respective subcontractor’s representative, again at the handover meeting stage. In the case of Mill Rythe, the site controller, headteacher, schoolteachers, and bursar were all provided with a full demonstration.

Aftercare

We are pleased to operate an in-house warranty team, comprising a designated warranty manager supported by two warranty engineers.

• 32 factory finished modules
• Two teaching wings separated by a central atrium
• Total area of 1,060m²
• 11 classrooms for science, technology and languages
• High specification to external finishes
• BREEAM Excellent achieved by using innovative manufacturing techniques

Redland High School for Girls, Bristol

Redland High School is an Independent school situated in a conservation area within inner Bristol. The
new building therefore needed to fit with the needs of the school, the Planning Authority and the local
residents’ association.

The building was designed in close liaison with the Junior School Head & Bursar, both of whom were
taken at an early stage to view a number of Rollalong’s other recent projects and to speak directly with
the end users.

Following this consultation stage, a mono-pitch roof was specified, together with a treated timber
vertical overlap cladding system, drawing on fi nishes acceptable to the Planning Authority and liked by
the school.

The internal layout was fine tuned by the Junior School Head, providing uni-sex WC space,
a kitchenette, an accessible WC and a hygiene room, in addition to 3 good sized classrooms (2 of which
are interlinked via a large double door). Extensive circulation and storage space is provided by the extra
wide corridor linking rooms within the building.

Windmill Primary School, Woosehill for Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council had an urgent requirement for a new one form entry Primary school at Woosehill to be ready for the new school year in 2013. We were approached in September 2012 to see if this school could be delivered in time.

The scope of work was extensive, including not only 1440m² of building but all external works consisting of groundworks, drainage and rain water attenuation, play areas included a MUGA. Other external works included providing car parks and fencing. The modules were delivered during four days in early June. During the subsequent weeks the build progressed at speed and the building was ready for the staff to get the school ready for the first pupils.

The reception classroom has been furnished with brightly coloured tables and chairs, toys and even an indoor sandpit. There are a further six classrooms, which will be filled during the next seven years, a library, food science room and a large sports hall, along with other administration areas.