The Bemrose School – Education Estates Awards

We are delighted to confirm that The Bemrose School project has been shortlisted at this year’s Education Estate Awards in the Refurbishment of the Year category.

Placing learning at the centre of our solution, this regeneration scheme brought an outdated estate up to modern standards, delivered within a live environment. Comprising extensive refurbishment of this locally listed 93-year-old school over 3 phases, we blended traditional, modern, and innovative refurbishment construction methodologies to provide high-quality education facilities whilst retaining The Bemrose’s heritage character. The project was delivered in consultation with Derbyshire County Council’s Heritage Officer to ensure full compliance with listed building regulations. A new build extension and landscaping completes 5 overall phases.

To provide an enhanced learning environment and improved sustainability (e.g. energy efficiency), works included internal reconfiguration/refurbishment, full slate roof strip and re-installation, full window replacement, structural steelwork repairs, brick 2 of 3 rebuilding, exposed external concrete repairs, and complete M&E replacement. The new M&E systems ensure reduced running costs, diverting money to educational needs.

With the inherently complex works within an expansive listed building, our team had to constantly adapt and reassess the programme and methodologies as our site investigations uncovered previously unknown issues, e.g., steel reinforcement to degraded concrete.

Thank you to all involved for all of the work that has gone into this and the impact this will have on pupils’ and staffs’ lives and ultimately education. I can most definitely say that every pound has been well spent for the pupils of today and also into the future.


I have been at the school for 20 years…I’ve never received so many positive comments about the fabric of our school from the public, parents, staff and most importantly the children…Everybody should be proud about what they have achieved and its impact on learning and the lives of the pupils.


Neil Wilkinson, Executive Headteacher, The Bemrose School

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