The process of demolition of the Junior School started in the summer, with the older, Victorian section of the Junior School being taken down more slowly, with much material such as bricks and metals happily salvaged and recycled, whilst the more modern part is coming down quite quickly.

With sustainability at the heart of the build, we were able to donate many items to organisations that could make use of them, including the YMCA (Gym equipment and furniture) and Hanwell Community Centre (A4/box Files for businesses based there), books (sold at the Bazaar and given to the Children’s Book Project charity), fish from the pond to local people and nurseries and the Astro turf from the front of the school plus various school items to a nursery in Brentford. Many other items have been re-used in Norland including desks, chairs, shelving, pegs, office and staffroom furniture, while all door furniture was removed and kept as spares for the senior school. 

Over the summer hoardings were erected and a three-storey temporary school for our Junior School students was been built. Just before the end of last term, our Junior School students voted for a name for their temporary school – Norland  –  in memory of NHEHS’ original location, Norland Square, where the school was founded as Notting Hill & Bayswater School in 1873. Within Norland, the classrooms are large and full of light and a beautiful tree design frames the Astro where they enjoy their playtimes. Over the next year while their new school is being built, Norland has been built and designed with the happiness and comfort of our junior students at its core.