Sheringham Primary School opens its log cabin classrooms.
PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY
Norfolk schools urged to follow suit as log classrooms unveiled at Sheringham Primary
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
2:10 PM
Headteachers would be “mad not to” consider replacing mobile classrooms with log cabins.
Sheringham Primary School opens its new log cabin classrooms.
PHOTO: ANTONY KELLYThat was the claim as Sheringham Primary School officially unveiled three log cabin classrooms in its playground today.
After watching Sheringham mayor Doug Smith and school governors’ chairman Carole Fields do the honours helped by 20 pupils, Headteacher Dominic Cragoe said the new rooms were “cost-effective, environmentally friendly and conducive to good quality learning”.
The three rooms, which can accommodate 90 pupils, were needed because the mobiles were cold and draughty in the winter and too hot in the summer.
There was also the enviable issue of rising pupil numbers, with Sheringham Primary the biggest primary school in Norfolk with 604 pupils.
Mr Cragoe said: “We previously had three mobiles, which were grotty to say the least.
“We were in negotiations with the local authority to get them removed, but we are at 604 pupils and we needed to place pupils somewhere.
“The local authority agreed, rather than give us replacement mobiles at a stupid cost, we would match fund 50pc towards the cost of more sustainable log classrooms.”
The school has a double and a single classroom, one of which is being used by year six pupils, another as a music room and the other for “overspill”.
Mr Cragoe said they cost a total of £210,000, and could last for between 50-300 years, depending on how well they were looked after.
He added: “They use the thickest wood they can. The mobiles were freezing in the winter and very damp. They had single-skin windows and were red hot in the summer. They were also very crowded.
“I think schools would be mad not to consider this as a way forward.”
Mr Cragoe said school numbers were expected to continue to rise, but added that the improvements meant the school was “well placed” to cope with the additional students as it was today.
Other Education Articles
- Mid-Suffolk Light Railway gets new lease of life through film
- Canary youth cup team member presents Cromer Academy sports awards
- Norfolk schools struggle to get best staff due to remote location
- Ormiston Venture Academy first Norfolk sponsored academy to receive outstanding from Ofsted
- Novi Sad to Lady Julian - French student’s tour
- A tour of Norwich’s Bridges
- Boris the Gorilla boards the Norwich to London train today
- Hunstanton pupils could be on a roll thanks to bacon butties.
- North Walsham head returns to school after cancer battle
- Student tests the water with kayak project
- Jobs set to go at Lowestoft College
- Cromer Academy says ‘yes’ to joining Inspiration Trust
- Norfolk teenager wins work placement at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s restaurant
- Mustard video: CSI-style murder mystery in schools’ festival of chemistry
- Success and failure for applications for new high schools in Norwich
Most Read News Stories See all
Terror returns to Britain after man butchered in London street
Terrorism returned to the streets of London today as two suspected Muslim fanatics butchered a man in broad daylight in the name of “Allah”.
- Police launch probe after motorist tweets she knocked cyclist off bike in Norwich
- Fakenham Gateway Children’s Centre closes suddenly
- Police appeal for help to find missing Norwich woman
- Three arrests after brawl at Sikh temple in Norwich
- Norwich cyclist speaks about moment he was hit by motorist who tweeted she had knocked someone off his bike
ADVERTISEMENT
6 comments
Yes it is amazing what some schools thrive even without all that extra dosh that Academies and Free schools apparently are given. Does that mean all the other Norfolk schools that often look as though they don't have two pennies to rub together are simply bad managers of money?
Report this comment
popeye
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Popeye I guess he just proves the point that great schools such as this (Outstanding and a National Teaching School) manage their budgets well, planning ahead and delivering even in these harsh times AND without all the Academy bribery cash!!
Report this comment
Stanley
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
......Mr Cragoe said they cost a total of £210,000.......I thought schools had no money as it was all going on the academies.
Report this comment
popeye
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
These Scandinavian log cabins withstand the extremely damp conditions in Sweden and Norway and the same wood, techniques etc are used to build these ones that have been used for decades for ones that are over 100 yrs old in Scandinavia so this seems very good value.
Report this comment
Stanley
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Hope it doesn't make the teaching too wooden.
Report this comment
One Horse Town
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Wooden buildings and British weather do not go together. They will regret it in the long term.
Report this comment
Johnny Norfolk
Tuesday, March 19, 2013