Queen Elizabeth’s School’s new estates strategy is focusing on delivering a superb educational environment to serve our pupils well in the coming decades.

The strategy draws on the findings of a Masterplan Study that was commissioned to look across the existing campus, considering both the School’s present and likely future needs, while also exploring any opportunities that might exist. In short, the aim has been to take an holistic approach, ensuring that development is carried out in an efficient, ‘joined-up’ fashion, taking account of factors such as the recent growth in the pupil roll.

Priorities thus identified include the need for bigger and better indoor sports facilities – including improved changing rooms – and a requirement for the addition of new dining space.

Preparatory work is now being carried out ahead of the creation of what is likely to be the next QE project to be completed, the Fern Café. Expected to cost around £2m, it will be in the very heart of the campus, in an area linking the Fern Building with Main Building that is currently used as a corridor and locker station.

The Fern Café will:

  • Expand QE’s dining facilities
  • Probably include an additional servery, while incorporating both formal and informal dining areas
  • Be able to host smaller events, serving as a useful extra venue
  • Connect directly to the Shearly Hall.

The café is part of the School’s long-term vision for the very large Fern Building, which dates from 1974. The architect’s drawings below ideas for how it might look – a modern, light design with multi-level ceilings. Significant enabling works will be required to both buildings, Fern and Main, although happily planning constraints are a little less onerous than for some other projects, such as the new sports hall.

The School has already made significant progress in taking forward the latter project – which will be a major new facility for QE. However, much work remains to be done on preparing the necessary applications for the sports hall, with the planning system having become increasingly complex and demanding.

Experienced specialists are helping QE get every aspect right, with one key objective being that the new facility has a positive impact on its surroundings. The mix of facilities is another important consideration: indoor cricket nets that can be used year-round have been identified as one priority, for example.

This major project is at a relatively early stage – and with limited funds available, it may need to be completed in three phases, following the initial demolition of the existing annexe building.