Stelrad radiators are found in literally thousands of schools up and down the country but following a major heating system upgrade, they are also now found in a truly unique school – set in the leafy lanes of Oxfordshire, near the town of Abingdon.
The Europa School UK is both a UK state school and an International Baccalaureate IB world school. It was founded and exists to provide a multilingual and multicultural education for primary and secondary level pupils through a broad and challenging curriculum. The school’s Mission Statement says their students ‘experience the joy of learning together in a mutually respectful community. They develop skills which equip them for further studies, an enriched cultural life and a global perspective to help create a better and more peaceful world.’
Its pupils can follow the school’s bilingual curriculum from age 4 to 18, culminating in gaining the highly respected International Baccalaureate. In the Primary school, half the week is taught in English and half taught in French, German, or Spanish. At home, the pupils might speak English or any of roughly twenty other languages present in the wider school community, united by the school but spread throughout Oxfordshire. It is not unknown for a child in Reception to be using four languages between school and home – and it works, not least because the school’s dedicated staff have the experience and application needed to make it work.
In the Secondary school, History and Geography are studied in a second language, ensuring a deep academic and empathetic engagement with the school’s multicultural approach.
The project is being managed by Mace Consulting on behalf of the Department for Education with local company Fergal Contracting Company from Witney heading up the major refurbishment programme at the school and the heating and plumbing upgrades are being run by Correct Contract Services – CCS – from Andover.
Many elderly radiators are being replaced by modern, efficient radiators from Stelrad with a selection of their radiators being used in different parts of the school. Stelrad’s recently launched Heavy Duty Deco radiators are being used throughout the senior school. This robust version of the popular Deco design comes with a 3.2mm combined thickness, tough outer steel fascia to provide additional protection where the radiator is used in an environment where contact is likely and there is a need to take knocks in its stride. They have been selected for a number of school projects – where it’s anticipated the radiators may not always be treated with the highest respect! It’s a high-end specification product built to withstand high impact, yet it retains its high heat output whilst remaining price competitive. For installers, piping connections are exactly the same as the Stelrad Compact radiator.
And it’s the UK’s most popular radiator – the Stelrad Compact radiator – that has been chosen for many of the back-room areas of the school – in offices, administration areas and in the kitchens for example. And finally, a selection of Stelrad’s sector leading LST radiators – the low surface temperature range – has been selected for the infant and junior schools to offer additional safety levels for young and more vulnerable children. These radiators are from the UK’s best-selling LST range, seeing wide use in schools, nurseries, sheltered housing, nursing and care homes and other buildings where young, elderly, or vulnerable people work, visit or live.
The new radiators have been installed in conjunction with Pegler’s VSH PowerPress system – a similarly robust, thick wall steel pipe and press fitting range of pipes and fittings. Whilst slightly more expensive to purchase, they are much quicker and simpler to fit giving significant time and hence cost savings alongside the provision of highly robust radiators that will withstand the harshest of treatments in day-to-day use.
“The use of a selection of our radiators – choosing the right radiators for the right usage and areas of the school, highlights the importance of the wide range of radiators we can offer,” says Stelrad’s Head of Marketing for UK and Ireland, Chris Harvey. “Being able to provide a wide range of radiators – helps with aesthetics but increasingly with practicality too – with the more robust HD range radiators offering that extra strength to the radiators where the possibility of contact comes into play. The addition of LSTs for the areas where the younger children will be learning makes huge sense for any organisation looking to offer additional safety – with these radiators covers never exceeding 43 degrees C – ensuring youngsters don’t suffer dry burns if they fall against the radiators during their time in school. And finally, we have the Stelrad Compact radiators which are the most cost-effective range for areas where a good looking but highly functional radiator is required. This project is a perfect one to illustrate the flexibility of the range we offer.”
You can find out more about the Europa School by visiting www.europaschool.org. For more information on the radiators used here and the wider range of radiators available, head for the Stelrad website at www.stelrad.com or at www.stelrad.ie in Ireland. You can call for brochures and information on 0844 543 6200 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, you can also see regular updates from Stelrad on Twitter @Stelrad and Facebook @StelradRadiators.
