St Margaret’s School has invested £1m into a purpose-built music facility which will open out the space to feature an outdoor performance area.

A semi-enclosed courtyard and amphitheatre, which can be configured for indoor and outdoor performances, will sit between the new building and the school’s original chapel to create the outdoor performance space.

Cascading picture windows on two sides of the building will be used to ‘bring the outside in’ and the main classrooms will be open to pitched roofs with skylights, creating the feeling of an auditorium.

Acting headmistress Julie Chatkiewicz said: “We’re extremely excited about the construction of our new facilities. The modernised building will allow the music department to expand upon its current offering both inside and outside of the classroom, providing an exciting and exceptional new environment for pupils studying music.”

The modernised building will allow the music department to expand upon its current offering both inside and outside of the classroom, providing an exciting and exceptional new environment for pupils studying music

Thermal and acoustic insulation will also form part of the external construction process, and the school has approved the implementation of a system to harvest rainwater from all roofing and paved areas to supplement the adjacent pitch watering.

Investment has also been made in a new computer suite and electronic keyboards for classroom learning, four new practice rooms for small groups and individual tuition, and a dedicated walk-in storeroom for musical instruments, as well as offices and additional tutorial spaces for teaching staff.

The building is expected to be completed by the end of the spring term next year, with internal fitting work finished by the end of the summer term, ready for pupils in next year’s autumn term.