Location: Central Parkway, Newbiggin by the Sea, NE64 6RT
Grace Darling Campus
Head of Grace Darling Junior Campus: Mrs. Sharon Cole
Consultant: Matt Savill
School background
Our campus is part of a unique organisation which houses two distinct schools under one roof, within the framework of NCEAT. Grace Darling Infants is a happy, friendly school, set in the heart of Newbiggin by the Sea. The inclusive ethos that Grace Darling values is represented through our core belief that everyone can ‘Let their light shine’. We embrace and celebrate the diversity of individuals, and nurture them as life-long learners for the 21st century.
School’s previous lighting situation
The Grace Darling Campus was fitted with outdated fluorescent lighting that was producing insufficient output. Frequent lamp failures created inadequately lit classrooms as well as high maintenance costs which the school had to fund. The school had many fluorescent tubes that they could no longer get, which meant a lot of lights out which over time was effecting the working and learning environment. The lights had fluorescent glare and the starters kept going causing the lights to flicker.
Funding
The School funded the scheme using The Educational Social Enterprise Fund for LED Lighting. The ‘Social Enterprise Fund’ enables schools to install LED Lighting, lower energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint without having to find the upfront capital to purchase the equipment. By simply paying an annual lease amount the scheme generates cash surpluses for the school from day one to be reinvested in educating disadvantaged children. There are no capital costs to the school and the lease repayments are made from the savings, there will always be a surplus left for the school after the lease payments are covered.
End Result
Grace Darling Campus had 630 old fluorescent lights replaced with LEDs. This school now has an improved working environment for learning and teaching due to a more natural, brighter light emitted by LEDs. The school also benefits from reduced energy consumption and requires zero hours of maintenance time changing lamps.
Working alongside R S lighting from a facilities and caretaking point of few, first of all pre meetings were planned on each NCEA campus for any questions that staff, caretakers and campus heads had, I attending the meetings and all of our questions were answered, and I found the meeting very informative, the RS lighting electricians who were on site were all very cheerful easy to talk to and work alongside. We did have other contractors and events on site at times when they were working on the Josephine Butler Campus, the electricians were totally cooperative and worked around our needs, as not to disrupt any event or other work been carried out. All mess was cleared away leaving the campus in a good condition, We have been also left contact details and information to help us in the future if any issues occur. It has been an overall pleasant experience for us.
Jean Blackburn, Campus Services Manager
