Construction work is underway on a new five-storey ‘superblock’ secondary school in Newham, London, following the appointment of Morgan Sindall Construction.
The new Oasis Academy Silvertown is being delivered for the Department for Education (DfE) and will cater for 600 students aged 11 to 16. Oasis Academy is located in North Woolwich, having welcomed its first intake of students in 2014.
The new building’s design incorporates social space across different levels and will feature a large sports pitch on the roof.
A double-height colonnade will open up into the reception area, creating a light, bright entrance space for visitors to the school.
The external walls will be folded to create a layered effect and warm white brickwork will be used on the building’s façade to complement the existing and new residential properties in the area including the nearby Grade II listed Silo D, which dates back to the 1920s.
Richard Dobson, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Staff and students at Oasis Academy have been eagerly anticipating the start of work on their new school building and we’re delighted to be working with the Department for Education to help turn this vision into a reality.
“Community is at the heart of the school’s design, with education and social spaces spread across different levels to create a holistic learning and development experience.
“This promises to be a transformational investment for the West Silvertown community which will provide hundreds of young people with a state-of-the-art learning centre. Morgan Sindall Construction is well versed in delivering major education projects and we’re looking forward to working closely with the DfE and our partners to create a stunning new home for Oasis Academy.”