Headington School

Facilities refurbishment project, tennis courts and hockey

The Bursar at Headington School approached Sports Labs in 2007 to assist them in redeveloping their existing tennis facilities and informal grass area, to deliver a hockey pitch and tennis courts that could also be used for school games besides hockey and tennis.

Design commenced in early 2008, involving significant planning roles, resulting in an innovative lighting solution from Abacus where the telescopic columns retract into their bases, allowing the lights to be stored in a lower position when not in use. The playing surface chosen was a sand dressed option on an in-situ pad, providing the best performance for both hockey and tennis.

The latest project was to refurbish the facilities that support each student's individual accommodation area. These facilities aim to provide the students with a more informal area to play 'inter-house' competitions, and support the main sporting facilities located within the sports fields of the school campus. The surfaces chosen had to be 'multi-use' and extremely hard-wearing. The project also had to be delivered during the school's summer break, therefore design and procurement were on a very tight timeline.

Due to the location of this facility being in the centre of the school grounds, the process was very inclusive, with the school playing an important role in the design process. This direct input from the school was fundamental to the success of the refurbishment.

The project was completed in January 2009 with all planning conditions successfully discharged by this time. The relationship between the client and the contractor still remains strong, with additional work on an adjacent car park continuing into 2010.