D & T A N D E N G I N E E R I N G W O R K S H O P S U P P L E M E N T
‘IMPRESSED WITH
TECHSOFT’S WILLINGNESS TO GO THE
EXTRAMILE TO MEET
DEADLINES,’ SAYS COLLEGE
Left:An exterior view of Christ’s College, Guildford.
HOWTECHSOFT CREATED,AGAINST TIGHT DEADLINES,AMODERN D&T FACILITYFOR
‘ONE OF THEMOST IMPROVED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND’
non-selective 11–18 Church of England on the northern finges of Guildford and is now officially rated as one of the most improved secondary schools in England. The school moved into its new premises in 2009 and if there was ever doubt that a well-designed environment would impact on attitude and learning, then here is proof positive that it does. Externally, smooth brick
‘
facades and clean lines sit well in the semi-rural setting and make a calm but firm statement that here is a building that is welcoming, of its time and serious in its purpose. Clever use of internal space, texture and colour creates an inclusive feel where a student’s personal space is respected, but a sense of community is fostered. And it works. It is no surprise that architects DSDHAwere shortlisted for the RIBASterling Prize for their work here. We at TechSoft were therefore
delighted to be awarded the contract to create a modern design and technology teaching space within Christ’s College. Having supplied DSDHAwith a TechSoft
CHRIST’S COLLEGE is a
by Tim Elderton, senior
TechSoft project manager
LaserCAM in 2008, we even fancied that we may have played a small part already! Deadlines for the project were unusually tight. Chris Smith-Keary had been appointed as head of this new department in June 2010 with a brief to be fully operational for the new academic year. Initial design meetings were therefore held immediately and a shared vision for the right outcome was quickly established. Design drawings then followed and further meetings enabled the process of refinement and revision including liaison with M&E contractors for limited, but essential, electrical work. By early July, contracts were in place and equipment requisitioned for installation during the school’s summer break.With our other new-build commitments already scheduled forAugust 2010, this project needed careful planning. However, because we use our
Technology in Education No.180 January/February 2011 24
own engineers for all installation and commissioning work, we had the agility needed for a smooth installation process and for timely delivery. Every project carries unique
challenges and, in this case, we felt a particular responsibility to use space efficiently and in sympathy with a clear design ethos that was already proving so successful. The project involved some ingenuity to devise and custom-fabricate storage solutions and details for extraction and
services.Although time had to be found for this, the ‘bespoke’ is always interesting and an important feature to back our commitment to deliver a complete solution. It was rewarding to be able to work so closely with the key teacher involved and to ‘prove the pudding’ by helping out with students at the school’s open evening in September – TechSoft project managers are experienced D&T teachers too! Now in its second
fully-operational term, our commitment to D&T at Christ’s College continues through technical support as needed, and
for further training as more advanced CAD/CAMis brought into the curriculum.
Chris Smith-Keary, head of
design and technology at Christ’s College, Guildford, commented: “The senior management at Christ’s College and I have found TechSoft’s approach to both the design and implementation of our new D&T facility to be exemplary.We are proud of our new workshop and delighted at the response of our pupils as they enjoy working in it.We strongly appreciated TechSoft’s considerable efforts to deliver the project on time and have been impressed with their unprompted willingness to always ‘go the extra mile’ to meet deadlines, to deal with difficulties and to ensure all workmanship is of the highest standard.We have been particularly pleased to work with TechSoft’s project manager Tim Elderton, who has been sympathetic to our needs from the outset – an amiable and highly professional colleague.”
’ Circle No.E10 Check out our website:
www.technology-in-education.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64