SciTec opened by HRH the Duke of Gloucester

On Friday 7 September  the first phase of SciTec was formally opened by His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester. The event was attended by over two hundred guests, including the Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Northamptonshire and other local dignitaries, Governors, the Master and members of the Court of the Grocers' Company, donors to the project, other friends of the School and representatives of the design and construction teams. The glorious weather added to the occasion, showing the magnificent building at its best.

His Royal Highness, a trained architect, visited the Sir Howard Stringer Biology and Owen Chemistry Departments before having an extensive tour of the

"green" roof and the observatory.  While touring the laboratories he met pupils of every age.  A wide variety of practical work was taking place in the sixteen laboratories. Guests wandered freely throughout the building, able to appreciate its unique design and gaining a full understanding of one of the major aims of SciTec – that science should be on show.
 
At the end of his tour the Duke was formally welcomed to the School by the Headmaster in a speech that outlined the vision behind the SciTec project and the statement it makes about Oundle's commitment to science and technology. He made reference to the generosity of so many Old Oundelians, parents and other donors adding also that the School's relationship with both the design and construction teams had been positive, creative and enjoyable.

His Royal Highness then unveiled the stone commemorating the event. In his speech he spoke of his enjoyment and appreciation of what he had seen, both in terms of the science on show and the quality of the design and construction of the building.

Chairman of Governors, Sir Toby Frere, thanked His Royal Highness for opening the building and for his kind words. He also referred to the generosity of the Grocers' Company as the largest donor to the project. Whilst emphasising that further phases of SciTec have to be assessed alongside other School priorities, he reiterated the Governors' and Headmaster's commitment to the SciTec vision.
 
Guests and science staff enjoyed lunch in Great Hall during which the Duke was introduced informally to a large number of visitors, including those most closely associated with the project.

 

The opportunities that this first phase of the SciTec project presents will now be explored and developed. The impressive refurbishment of the adjacent Needham Physics Centre, carried out on the upper floor over the summer and to be completed on the ground floor next summer, will complement the innovative SciTec building and create a fully integrated science complex.

 

 

SciTec Nears Completion - The First Pupils Move in (June 07)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SciTec Update - 20th April 2007

 

SciTec Phase 1 has reached the home straight. In just over seven weeks the building should be occupied for the first time. Much finishing work is

being undertaken, oak doors being installed, corridor lighting fitted and service connections being made.
The elaborate and, in engineering terms, complex stone west staircase is in place.
There are over 10,000m of conduit in the building and many times that length of wiring.
The exterior scaffolding on the handsome north elevation has been removed and the lake bowl dug out. A felt liner will be followed by an impervious layer to form the lake bed.  The material dug to form the lake will then be used to augment the level playing surface produced by previous excavations. The lake itself, once established, will have a wide planted margin of reeds and other aquatic plants.

R I Briggs
Second Master

SciTec Update - 26th February 2007

The roof of SciTec now sports a greenhouse and the skylight, which runs the full length of the building, has been fully glazed, giving a light and airy feeling to the circulation areas. Four very large planters have been added to the roof and preparation for the installation of photovoltaic arrays has begun. The new observatory is currently being assembled and the various chimneys are being coated in a bronze coloured metal cladding.
Inside the building vinyl floors have been laid in the two prep rooms and the fitting out process is well under way.  Laboratory floors are also being laid, most of the wiring and other services are now in place and practical benches will be delivered in early March ready for installation.

There is a real sense of acceleration in the programme. External glazing is more or less complete and internal glazing of the laboratories will begin shortly. All of the necessary framework is in place and once glazing is complete the internal appearance of SciTec will be transformed. Floors in the downstairs circulation areas have been laid and toilets tiled.  The complex west staircase will be created in the next two weeks.

 

R I Briggs

Second Master

2006

SciTec update 04.12.06

Progress on SciTec continues at a pace. The external stone cladding now extends half way up the building and external window frames are being installed. The roof build-up of waterproof layers is well advanced and all the extract chimneys, the lift overrun and the access points to the roof staircase are complete.

The west staircase itself is taking shape. Inside the building a huge amount of progress has been made on

the installation of services. The underfloor heating cables in the corridors have also been laid and the floors screeded. Sanding down of the fair-faced concrete walls is well advanced.

In the next two weeks the complicated connection to the existing Needham Physics Department will also be completed. The Biology and Chemistry staff have toured the building and been impressed by its scale and layout. It is increasingly apparent what a majestic addition SciTec will be to the Home Close.

R I Briggs
Second Master

 

 

 

SciTec update  1.11.2006

The roof slab is now complete and basic waterproofing has begun. Extract chimneys and the lift overrun have also been built. Inside the building, installation of the services is now progressing with large lengths of copper pipe, service ducts and trunking making an appearance.

Externally the walls are being clad in stone. Hard, water-resistant Ancaster limestone, quarried north east of Grantham in Lincolnshire, forms the lower layer and Clipsham stone, quarried north east of Oakham in Rutland provides the upper layers. Each piece of stone has been carefully cut and numbered to fit in a precise position. The stonework is separated from the external concrete frame by a thick layer of insulating material. It was always the intention of architects Feilden Clegg Bradley that the source of suitable stone should be as local as possible to minimise transport distances, just a small part of the overall "green" theme of the project.

From this point onwards a huge amount of work will go on inside the building as the installation of services is a considerable task. Additionally the glazed roof which runs the full length of the circulation corridor will be created and work will begin on the waterproof membrane which forms the basis of the "green" roof.

SciTec update 30.09.06

The SciTec project has advanced significantly since the summer. The first floor slab is complete, most of the concrete walls on the upper floor have been cast and a substantial part of the roof slab is in place. Support steelwork for the large glazed areas on the north elevation has been installed.

Now that much of the internal shuttering and other support work has been removed the purpose and effect of the light-well in the heart of the building has become clear and the scale of the building much more apparent. Display areas are vital and the building's design lends itself to imaginative possibilities.

There has been little, if any, interference from the weather. Next week the process of cladding the building in Clipsham Stone will begin.

 

Festival Day – 16th September 2006

The early morning mist and low cloud burned away to bring glorious sunshine to Oundle for its Festival

Day celebrations.  More than 900 guests who travelled from near and far with their families, enjoyed a packed day of fun and entertainment, alongside a full School operating a normal teaching and sporting Saturday.

The proceedings began with guests enjoying a coffee and a leisurely stroll around the exhibition entitled "From all Walks of Life", curated by Michael Downes, the Sanderson Fellow in recognition of the contribution made to society by some 250 Old Oundelians.  It was standing room only for the Service of Thanksgiving in the Oundle School Chapel,  led by the Revd. Ian Browne, the School Chaplain.  The School choir sang Bruckner's Locus Iste and Angel Voices, a piece composed for Oundle in May 2005 and lessons were read by Sir Charles Pollard (Sc 63), the President of the Old Oundelian Club and Richard Andrews, Former Housemaster of Crosby and Head of Classics.

Many guests opted to join one of fourteen tours ably led by senior pupils which departed straight after the chapel service, calling in on each of the Houses, as well as many other landmarks around the School.   This was an opportunity for a walk down memory lane and for many, a chance to see the modern day Oundle in action.

The focus of the afternoon's activity was an enormous marquee located on the 1st XI cricket outfield to which people were able to retire with their lunch and a well-deserved drink and mingle with old friends.  A giant hot air balloon was tethered on the outfield and many guests climbed aboard to enjoy

a ride.  The School also played host to a number of OOs who brought their Oundle-made cars, including a replica Morgan, back for the day.  Many guests took advantage of the opportunity to purchase an item of 450th Anniversary memorabilia.  The merchandise stall did particularly brisk business with top selling items including the specially commissioned 450th Anniversary silk tie and fine bone china mug.  If you missed the chance to purchase a souvenir you can visit our website for more details of how to order at www.oundlesociety.org or call in at the Cobthorne Stables where all our souvenir items are available for purchase.

 

Nearly 150 children joined their parents at Festival Day and enjoyed taking part in a wide variety of activites, including rides on the hot air balloon, paintballing and a mini assault course laid on by the army.  Others took advantage of Oundle's swimming pool for a mid afternoon dip or let their hair down on the giant bouncy slide.  Guests were kept informed of events with a lighthearted commentary delivered by Andrew Forbes, Oundle's Director of Music.

Oundle's 1st XV enjoyed support from a large number of parents and OOs who returned for the day.  The rousing cheering made all the difference and Oundle managed to beat St Edwards in the final minutes of the match, with St Edwards missing a last minute conversion.  Sadly Oundle's first XI hockey team was not quite so successful against Felsted's national finalists, losing 4-1.  After the exertions of cheering on our sportsmen and women, the guests repaired to the marquee for a delicious cream tea. 

In the late afternoon the Headmaster, Charlie Bush and the Chairman of the Governors, Sir Michael

Pickard, addressed the guests briefly during a ceremony to unveil the SciTec Commemorative Stone, which will be sited outside the new laboratory building when it opens in spring 2007.

The proceedings were brought to a rousing close with a flypast by a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight which overflew the Festival Day

marquee three times on its way back to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.  As the Spitfire disappeared into the distance and many guests stifled their emotions, the band of the Royal Anglian Regiment struck up for the closing concert.

Our guests left Oundle having had a most memorable day and feeling prouder than ever as parents or former pupils.  Festival Day embraced everything that the Oundle Society stands for – the connection of Oundle's diverse community of pupils, parents, staff and Governors of Oundle, past and present in shared celebration of this great School.  Thank you from the Society Team to all our members for helping us make this a day to remember for decades to come.

 

 

 

June - SciTec Construction News

The latest trial concrete wall on the SciTec project has passed the quality test and so serious amounts of concrete will now appear on site to form the internal and external walls.

Several external concrete columns are already in place and their spacing gives some idea of the area of glass that each laboratory will have.

There are vast amounts of steel reinforcement work on view at the west end of the building and large areas of shuttering in place ready for the concrete pouring.

 

Over the next few weeks there will be a dramatic change in the appearance of the site and by the end of August there will be a very substantial structure in place.

 

 

May - SciTec Construction News

Despite heavy rain in the past week the construction of Phase 1 of SciTec project has continued without interruption, apart from a short break during Chemistry A level practicals. Foundation work for the

outer walls of the building and for the retaining wall of the adjoining lake has progressed rapidly.  The outline of the building is now clearly defined and strikingly emphasises the scale of the development. Much in-fill work is in progress and, adjoining the foundations about two thirds of the way down the site, a large concrete base has been created to enable the erection of a tower crane on the weekend of 3rd/4th June.

Additional material from digging foundations has supplemented the

rubble from the demolition of the old squash courts and some further re-profiling of the Home Close has been completed. In due course the material between the temporary road and the external wall of the building will be excavated to create the lake basin and the removed material will contribute to further levelling of the Home Close. It will still be some months before the carefully removed topsoil can be redistributed on the levelled playing area.

Steel reinforcement for the substantial structure, with its high thermal mass, is evident throughout the site, and over the next few months hundreds of tons of concrete will be poured.

SciTec Groundbreaking Ceremony

An exciting ceremony was held on April 25th to mark the start of work on Phase 1 of SciTec.

The traditional groundbreaking was performed by the Headmaster, Charlie Bush, from the controls of a large mechanical excavator on the site of what will be a perfectly level sports pitch on the Home Close, adjacent to the new SciTec Building.

Assisting the Headmaster in the groundbreaking was Head of School, Ed Bury and Emma Wardall and Elizabeth Dorrell, representing Sanderson and Dryden.  Vice Chair of the Governing Body, Ian Schmiegelow and Ian McAlpine, Governor and Chairman of the SciTec Steering Committee were also in attendance, alongside representatives of the architects and contractor companies.

The ceremony provided an opportunity for the Headmaster to thank all

the parties who have brought the SciTec project to fruition over a period of five years, including the Grocers Company, the Governing Body, Bob Briggs, Second Master who has led the project on behalf of the School and the Oundle Society who have managed the fundraising campaign for SciTec.

SciTec Phase 1, which comprises sixteen laboratories for the teaching of biology and chemistry, will be completed and ready for occupancy in Spring 2007.

Choir CD Released

Recorded in Cambridge in October to mark the 450th anniversary of Oundle School's foundation, this celebratory disc features a selection of music that would have heard at Oundle over the 450 years.  Music by Tallis, Byrd, Purcell, Handel, Bruckner, Durufle and Rutter amongst others. The School's Choirmaster, Alastair Tighe, developed the concept and was reponsible for the orgnisation and production of the CD.

 

To order your copy of O My Soul, Awake! please email your order to the Music Department at Oundle (music@oundle.northants.sch.uk).  The CD costs £10 (+ £2 p&p).

 

Oundle - A School For All Seasons

Oundle is celebrating its 450th anniversary this year. In recognition of this landmark event and as a celebration of the School, a beautifully designed and produced 168 page photographic hardback book has been commisssioned. Entitled "Oundle - A School For All Seasons", the publication lavishly illustrates the school in the new millennium with wonderful contemporary photography.

 

A vivid portrait of School life and its traditions is conveyed across the four seasons. Some archive photography has also been included as a retrospective contrast to today's phototgraphy and evocative accounts from Old Oundelians of School life in decades past, often in the form of old letters home, are included.                                                                                              

Published by Third Millennium this book is available to OOs and members of the Oundle Society at £45. To order a copy from the Oundle Society Tel: 01832 277291

Or you can order from our publishers Third Millenium:  Tel: 0207 336 0144  Fax: 0207 608 1188; email: oundle@tmiltd.com  or via the internet click here

 

The book is also available at The Oundle School Book Shop, Market Place, Oundle (mail order service not available). 

SciTec Moves Ahead

After several years of planning and development Oundle SciTec now moves on to its next exciting phase.

Wilmott Dixon Construction Limited were recently appointed and work on site has begun on Phase 1 of the project which comprises sixteen laboratories for Chemistry and Biology, a generous provision of circulation and display space and the connection of SciTec to the existing Needham Physics building.  SciTec will be a world class facility, possibly unparalleled in any other British public school and will place Oundle at the forefront of science teaching both nationally and internationally.

 The total cost of Phase 1 is £11.5 million, to which the School has contributed £1 million.  Currently we have donations or pledges for half the balance from a large number of contributors, amongst which are a small number of very generous individual donors and the Worshipful Company of Grocers, which has confirmed its donation of £2.4 million for Phase 1.  We are extremely grateful for these donations.

There still remains a gap between money raised and the total cost of Phase 1 of the project.  The Governors have considered the implications of this carefully and are satisfied that the School is in a position to make suitable arrangements to cover the shortfall on an interim basis.  Our vigorous programme of fundraising will  be continued and we are confident, now that the SciTec project nears the building stage, that our approaches to parents, Old Oundelians and other friends of Oundle, will reap significant further donations.

 

Oundle Reunited

Launched on January 1st 2005, the Oundle Reunited site is up and running and is proving to be very popular. It's an easy way to catch up with old school friends and it's free to register so why not register today!

To visit Oundle Reunited click here

Colours of Order - The Chapel Windows

A colour booklet, detailing the theme of the Angus Windows in the Chapel, is available from the Oundle Society to purchase for £1.50*.  The booklet, written by Dr. Katharina Eish-Angus and Ian Browne and funded by the Patrick Charitable Trust, provides a brief overview of the Chapel of St. Anthony and a detailed, window by window breakdown spanning the West End and the South and North Aisles. *The Stables, Cobthorne, West St, Oundle PE8 4EF