Portakabin completes three-week Leeds school installation

The York-based modular construction firm has completed a 70-module special educational needs complex at Cross Green Road.

Following a successful bid to the Department for Education in 2019, Leeds City Council announced Co-op Academies Trust as the successful sponsor of the special educational needs free school.

The school opened in temporary accommodation at another Co-op Academy Trust site, on time and welcomed 56 children in September 2022. The new building will welcome the second cohort of students, an additional 86 children in September 2024. Full capacity of 200 is expected to be reached the following year.

Portakabin precision-engineered the modules, that were designed specifically for Co-op Academies Trust project, at its manufacturing facility in York and transported them less than 35 miles away to the site in Leeds.

Known as ‘Co-op Academy Brierley’, the new SEND school will host 200 students from the ages of 4-16 in Leeds. The school is set to have a primary and secondary provision.

James Pearson, divisional managing director at Portakabin said: “Co-op Academy Brierley is one of the projects awarded to us on the DfE’s MMC framework. Despite the inclement weather, we were able to successfully deliver and install 70 modules safely in just 19 days, maintaining the agreed contract programme.

“Particular attention has been paid to preserving existing trees on site, despite the need for extensive sculpting of levels on the site, to achieve the gradients required for compliant access.

“It’s a great pleasure to celebrate the first milestone in this project, which will become an important part of the local community.”

Alongside 27 classrooms and dedicated teaching space, the completed school will boast extensive minibus drop-off facilities, approximately 130 car parking spaces for staff and visitors, an immersive technology room, therapy, and sensory rooms.