Northern Ireland construction firm, Gilbert-Ash has been appointed to deliver a £31 million new junior school at St Paul's School in West London.

The building which was founded more than 157 years before the Great Fire of London in 1666 is located on a a 45-acre site adjacent to the River Thames in Barnes, West London.

The project will consist of two new buildings, Junior School West will be a three-storey building housing a teaching block and changing facilities while Junior School East will be a two-storey facility comprising a teaching block and double height hall.

The hub of the school, the Junior School West building, serves as its central 'heart,' offering ample multi-purpose exhibition areas. It is enveloped by classrooms designed to foster vibrant social exchanges between students and faculty. Connecting to the West building is the Junior School East building, united by a sheltered outdoor play area known as 'The Barn.'

Gilbert-Ash Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson, said:

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"St Paul's School is steeped in history and has been providing first class education for boys for hundreds of years. The project will ensure this legacy continues in Barnes for generations to come.

"Gilbert-Ash has a growing reputation for delivering excellent projects in the education sector, with many of these in partnership with the team at Hawkins/Brown.

"Together we have delivered stand-out projects at both City of London Freemen’s School, Central Foundation Boys’ School and the Bartlett School of Architecture.

"We are looking forward to once again working in collaboration with Hawkins/Brown, St Paul’s School and of course the other teams on this exciting project."

With the aim of achieving a BREEAM rating of excellent, the new buildings will be heated with air source heat pumps with photovoltaic panels on the roof which will also house a green roof system.

The external drainage system integrates storm and foul water diversion, along with porous surface overflow pipework and a rain garden for sustainable water management. Inside, acoustic improvements will be achieved through the installation of wall panels and slatted timber linings, ensuring optimal sound quality. The flooring plan encompasses a variety of materials, including engineered hardwood, linoleum, and carpeted areas, catering to diverse functional requirements.

Soft landscaping will include shrub, herbaceous planting, hedge planting and grassland meadow, in addition to a rain garden. Hard landscaping will include linear concrete block paving, permeable black and coloured tarmac, permeable resin bound aggregate, play bark and a hybrid turf system, in addition to insitu rubber safety surfaces.

During the construction period, which is due to be complete in autumn 2025, school life will continue and

pupils and staff will be decanted to temporary accommodation.