Nothing gets little kids more excited than a construction site, and at Alexandra Primary School, we put one right in the middle of theirs. The school stayed fully operational while we delivered a new hall and library, followed by a new eight-classroom teaching block, for the Ministry of Education.

While the buildings themselves were a straightforward delivery for our team, the real challenge was constructing them within a live school environment. Careful staging and planning were essential to ensure the safety of students and staff while allowing learning to continue uninterrupted.

The project began by relocating students into temporary classrooms before the existing buildings were demolished. From there, our team managed the transition of services, disconnecting power, water and communications from the old buildings, connecting the temporary facilities, then installing permanent services to the new buildings as construction progressed. Every stage was coordinated around the daily schedule of the school to minimise disruption and safely manage site access.

Health and safety remained the highest priority throughout the project. As a Ministry of Education build, the project included regular progress reporting and site reviews, with close collaboration between our team, the Ministry and the school. Being a locally based contractor was a benefit to the school, who were able to have a face-to-face meetings with us regularly.

The project carried a personal connection for our team. Several Breen staff have children at Alexandra Primary School, and our Site Manager serves on the school’s Board of Trustees. Delivering quality work for a school that is part of our own community made the project especially meaningful.

The project was completed to scope and on time, and the new facilities handed over to the satisfaction of both the Ministry of Education and the school.

Client: Ministry of Education (MoE)
Industry: Education
Breen team: Quantity Surveyor Quinton Wicks; Project Manager Adam Tanner; Site Manager Tim Marshall; Foreman Simon Philip