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Shireland Collegiate Academy: Renewing a historic roof with Cambrian
The project
When undertaking work to revitalise period buildings, contractors will be expecting the unexpected – from unforeseen challenges arising through to employing traditional techniques to achieve the desired finish. At Shireland Collegiate Academy, in the West Midlands, with the main school building originally constructed in 1907, a sensitive approach was required to preserve the architectural heritage of the building.
Featuring 10 steeply pitched roofs, each at different heights and of different sizes, the re-roofing project was always going to be complex. Individual details, including lead valleys and gutters and also a notable bell tower on the main roof, added to the unique nature of the project and its architectural charm – something which would need to be carefully refurbished.
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The Challenge
As with any work being carried out on a live school site, the roofing contractors – Central Roofing – needed to prioritise safe and considerate working practices to minimise disruption across the site. To achieve this, noise from drilling, hammering and material handling was kept to a minimum during the school day, while dust and debris was closely controlled to minimise risk for students and teaching staff.
Where the roof itself was concerned, there were two key considerations: performance and aesthetics. Delivering strong, reliable performance through the new roof would maximise the school’s investment over the long-term, while remaining true to the traditional aesthetic of the building.
Given the age of the roof, which had served the school for more than a century, the original slates had deteriorated significantly with many of them broken, lifted or split. Despite this and the resulting water ingress, the roof structure itself was sound and free of any issues such as wet rot, allowing efforts to be focussed on refurbishing the roof.
A comprehensive roof investigation, carried out using a drone, documented the condition of slates, hips, valleys, ridges, eaves, and abutments.
The Solution: Cambrian Slate
To ensure the new roof would deliver a sympathetic replacement to the original structure, it was important for the contractors to select an appropriate tile. That meant finding a product that was capable of delivering exceptional durability, functionality and a traditional aesthetic – making Cambrian Slate from Redland the perfect choice.
The authentic natural slate appearance of Cambrian made it possible to preserve the familiar look of the original 1907 building, while delivering the performance required of modern solutions. Behind the elegance of the natural slate finish lies uncompromising performance and innovative solutions which make the tile easy to install. Cambrian is also suitable for use on pitches as low as 15°, providing the versatility to deliver on every aspect of the project.
The Cambrian Slate also delivered on a sustainability perspective. As well as being manufactured in Wales, just 100 miles away from the school, Cambrian also uses more than 60% recycled Welsh slate. These factors benefit a carbon saving when compared to alternative tiles – particularly at a time when many roof slates are now imported from overseas.
Impact: delivering for future generations
During the refurbishment of the school roof, 1,360m² of slates, timber battens, and original tiling felt were removed and replaced with new insulation, breathable membrane, new battens, and Cambrian Slate tiles. Much of the existing material that was removed – including the original ridge tiles and slates – were carefully removed for reclamation, seeing their service life extended through use on other buildings.
Alongside replacing the roof, the specialist team also restored the bell tower using traditional techniques. Through re-leading, repainting and repointing the mortar on the brickwork, the team was able to preserve this beloved feature of the building.
The project's success was spotlighted by achieving key milestones on time and within budget, with high standards of workmanship. With the successful installation, the school community can confidently rely on the enduring quality and performance of the newly restored roof while continuing to fulfil its role as a top-rated educational institution.
