Thomas Sinden has been delivering award winning construction services throughout London and the South East for over 25 years. During this time we have established the reputation and experience for delivering high quality, sustainable projects across all education sectors, from primary schools, secondary schools through to university buildings.

Our experience spans schemes from classroom refurbishments through to the complete design and build of new schools and colleges. Emphasis is placed on the provision of a service that works to tight budget constraints and represents value for money as well as meeting the strict timetable of the academic year without compromising on quality.

Working closely with educational establishments, we create spaces that inspire and support learning and development as well as ensuring sustainability initiatives are included. Whilst on site our team engages with students to help them learn about the construction industry. For younger students, health and safety talks are delivered by our company mascot, Toolbox Tommy, whilst older students are given site tours and career talks. Safety is of paramount importance and we encourage pupils to take part in ‘Site Safety’ poster competitions to reinforce the dangers on a live site.

Education projects require that construction works are carried out whilst a site is occupied, and we work closely with the headteacher and staff to ensure minimum disruption is made to student learning and there is careful segregation and coordination to ensure students are kept safe at all times.
With a third of our business in the education sector, over the past 18 months, we have delivered 14,023 sqm of new or improved educational space and increased the capacity for six schools.

Primary Education
Hillside Infant and Junior Schools, Northwood, Middlesex
As part of Hillingdon Council’s £150m primary school expansion programme, we were appointed to design and build a new 2,122m2 building to accommodate 12 new classrooms, hall, kitchen, group spaces, staff/administration space, storage, toilets and cloak areas. The £8 million project included adaptations to existing buildings, remodelling of existing entrance, provision of a new MUGA, reorientation of the sports pitch, hard and soft landscaping and drainage improvements with redundant buildings demolished.

The staff car park was redesigned together with a new ‘drop off’ facility via a second access point with an ‘in’ and ‘out’ route to reduce congestion. With the challenge of the site on a hill, the building was built on split levels and a large retaining wall was built around the MUGA.
Work was carried out whilst the site was occupied and our team worked closely with the headteacher and staff to minimise disruption to learning and ensure students were kept safe at all times. Our site manager made such a good impression that a special assembly was held to thank him and the team.

East Sheen Primary School, SW12
We were appointed by Richmond upon Thames Council on the expansion from a 2FE to a 3FE school including the construction of a new two storey classroom block providing three teaching spaces on each floor, hygiene room, WCs, group rooms, stores, library and shared resource area.

A new classroom expansion to the South West of the main school also provided additional teaching space and stores as well as extension to the kitchen and a new double height main hall extension with folding acoustic internal dividing wall. Internal remodelling of the reception corridor area, office meeting room, dining room and existing ICT room was also carried out.

Liz Page, headteacher comments, “The project was complicated in that it impacted on different areas of the existing building and access to parts of the site was across the children’s playground. The attention to procedures to ensure the children were safe at all times gave me complete confidence.”

Secondary Education
Barclay Secondary School, Hertfordshire
We were appointed to undertake the demolition of the existing sixth form block and drama block, including asbestos removal and the provision of a new detached single storey sixth form block and state-of-the-art drama studio. The work is part of the Priority School Buildings Programme 2, funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Special Educational Needs
Former Minchenden School site, Enfield
We were appointed to redevelop the former Minchenden School site, converting part of the site into a school for upper end aged secondary autistic pupils. The new school provides places for 120 pupils, expanding specialist autism provision in Enfield, addressing the acute need within the borough.

The works were undertaken to the two-storey Farbey building, workshop and Mews building, which are within the curtilage of the Grade II listed Southgate House. The refurbishment and modification have provided modern education facilities including a practice flat, vocational facilities for life-skills, creative arts and horticulture, a 6th form common room, therapy rooms and a gym and fitness room.