Customer: Ratoath Senior National School

Location: Co. Meath

Requirement:
Located in a rapidly developing area, Ratoath National School has seen a phenomenal increase in pupil numbers. In the past 25 years, the parish served by this primary school has grown from a population of 800 people to more than 8,000. To cope with its ever-growing pupil numbers, the school recently split into Junior and Senior schools. The Senior part of the school quickly identified a need for two additional classrooms, two special educational needs rooms and a language support room for foreign nationals.

Solution:
The school invited a number of building suppliers to tender for the project, and the contract was won by Allspace.

Allspace recommended its top-of-the-range Portakabin Ultima buildings for the project. These large, attractive buildings are specially designed to offer exceptional thermal efficiency and provide a high-quality, welcoming learning environment. Three of these buildings would be needed to meet the school’s requirements.

Maurice Kearney, Principal, says: “Having worked with a number of building suppliers in the past, we have found Allspace to be the best. We have built up a good relationship with them and trust their advice – so we were happy to accept their recommendation.”

The buildings had to be delivered to a tight deadline, before the start of the new term. Allspace duly delivered and installed the buildings on the agreed date, and the facilities were ready for the arrival of pupils in September.

Two of the Ultima buildings are used as large individual classrooms, where full classes of pupils spend the entire school day. The third building has been divided using partition walls to create three separate rooms – two for special needs education and one for language support.

Maurice adds: “The new buildings have been very well received by staff and pupils alike. They are spacious and comfortable, and enable us to fulfil all the requirements of the primary curriculum.

“We have always found the service from Allspace to be hands-on, with everyone taking a real interest in ensuring the buildings meet our needs. The installation teams are exceptionally good and very professional. I have been impressed by the quality of their work and their sensitivity to the needs of a school environment.”