Bolder Academy

Bolder Academy is a new six form entry school for ages 11 to 16, providing 900 pupil places when at full capacity. The new school building is scheduled to be ready in 2020 at the current Grasshoppers Rugby Club, with sports fields as well as being next door to Sky’s ‘Soccer AM’ studio.

The project involves the construction of a four-storey secondary school with a separate sports hall, incorporating dance and drama studios.

Bowmer and Kirkland, the main contractor, had to make extensive infrastructure upgrades to the local roads and pedestrian routes and they created new external grass pitches. They were finished to Sports England standards, and they also built a MUGA pitch, staff car parking, cycle storage, external classroom, courtyard open space and general circulation spaces. The new building’s facilities also include science labs, art studios and ICT suites.

Billington Structures manufactured and supplied structural steel for Bowmer and Kirkland, the main contractors on this project. The school is expected to achieve ‘Excellent’ BREEAM ratings. Environmental and sustainability considerations were taken into consideration during the design and build process. These include an attenuation tank to collect excess rainwater, large swales and water permeable paving to aid in future water run-off. Solar panels and a building management system will be installed to aid energy efficiency.