An ongoing, extensive building programme at High Hurstwood Primary School near Uckfield, East Sussex, has already seen the building of three new classrooms, a library and a playground – and a new solar hot water system designed and installed by local company SolarUK.
The initial phase of the redevelopment was funded through the Government-led Primary Modernisation grant scheme, with money for further work coming from East Sussex County Council as well as fund-raising events organised by Friends of High Hurstwood School.
Ongoing work will see the completion of a new reception room and a new main hall to accommodate PE lessons, assemblies and school productions.
Jane Cook, headteacher, said: " The staff and governors are very pleased that the school will soon be in a position to offer first rate facilities to the children in their care and are very much looking forward to inviting the local community in to visit once the work is completed."
SolarUK was awarded the contract by Drummond Heating after a detailed evaluation of its LaZer2 solar thermal collectors (which were found by a leading European research institute to provide unparalleled performance)
And reducing carbon emissions through harnessing the sun’s energy is not the school’s only environmental consideration. Before building work began a colony of Great Crested Newts was discovered. This newt population is being carefully monitored while work continues, with the endangered amphibians being rehomed in the wildlife garden’s new pond.
