With 2015/6 seeing the culmination of the rebasing programme, defence infrastructure has had to grow to accommodate the arrival of many more troops and their families.
The Rebasing programme will see some of the biggest troop movements from Germany, with some 5,000 personnel being relocated to bases across Britain – including 2,500 families being moved during the summer holidays alone.
The programme has meant the expansion of Salisbury Plain into a super garrison and with thousands of families moving into the area, there is also pressure on schools to expand.
Serving the population of Bulford Camp, Kiwi School was created from an amalgamation of Kiwi Infant School and Wing Junior School in 1963. The school moved into the current building in 1965 and kept the Kiwi name, which was taken from the emblem on Kiwi Hill behind the school.
The existing building was built at a cost of £90,000 with 11 classes and over 300 pupils. However, with the rebasing programme complete, Kiwi School is expecting its pupil numbers to surge from just 85 to closer to 500 in the next couple of years.
To accommodate the new students, the school has had seven brand new classrooms built, by modular building specialist, Eco Modular Buildings Hull. The additional classrooms, including a drama studio and food tech room, are housed in a brand new eco-friendly building, the biggest of several upgrades preparing for forces children moving to the school as part of the Army Rebasing Programme.
The Eco Modular team invited the reaching staff and children to the Hull facility to both see the modules in-construction and to take part in organised activities leading to all being awarded Junior Eco Modular Builder status. This helped cement the relationship between the school and build team, including Kier Western and Wiltshire CC.
The build team worked together from very early on in the design process to ensure a fully compliant building that reflected the attractive contemporary style of the architectural intent and fulfilled the user requirements of the school.
Head Teacher at Kiwi School, Susan Raeburn, said: “I am thrilled with the progress of the work and the quality of the finish.”
Watch the opening of the school here.
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British Army education Forces Children Forces families Kiwi School Rebasing Programme Salisbury Plain school
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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