Holyoakes Field First School and Nursery

Redditch, United Kingdom

Holyoakes Field First School and Nursery was founded in 1913 and has provided a first step in life to generations of children in Redditch, Worcestershire, UK. The school prides itself on its close relationship with the local community, with a vision of “empowering young minds to become great minds.”

However, after over a century at the same site, the school was facing several issues due to its aging buildings and limited space. As a result, in 2019, plans were laid for Holyoakes to move to new premises in the town.

Applications Covered:

Education

The Challenge

Work on the new 2,000 m² school building began in early 2020. The single-storey, timber-framed construction was designed to achieve a ‘very good’ BREEAM sustainability rating with a bright, modern educational aesthetic. To this end, based on its decades of experience in the educational sector and its environmental credentials, Thorlux was appointed as lighting supplier. The lighting objective was to provide a system of internal and external luminaires that complemented the open, modern design of the new building, whilst providing optimal levels of energy efficiency.

The Solution

The building interior uses a varied selection of Thorlux luminaires throughout. This includes over one hundred each of Kanby Zip and Zipline luminaires. Other luminaires include Hi-Style, Solow LED, Cleanline and Firefly. To provide clear and concise emergency exit signage, Lex maintained exit signs with AutoTest facility have been installed across the school. The lighting scheme for the building’s exterior includes Realta, Mercian and Cobalt luminaires. Starbeam ECO pole-top floodlights are utilised to provide illumination of outdoor play and parking areas.

To prevent energy wastage and ensure optimum building efficiency, most of the supplied luminaires use discrete Smart sensors. This means each luminaire only illuminates when the area is in use, and it monitors ambient light to control its output at the correct level. Additionally, Thorlux has been independently confirmed as being carbon neutral since 2012, further bolstering the sustainability credentials of the new school building.

With the lighting installation and all other fixtures and fittings completed, and the lighting commissioned by Thorlux engineers, the £6 million new Holyoakes School opened its doors to pupils in September 2022. From its new, modern site, the school is looking forward to serving its community for another century.