Pye Bank School Restoration – Astrea Academy Sheffield

An image showing The restored Pye Bank School in the background, The victorian school is stone with a tiled roof and central gable. In the foreground there is a landscaped garden with wildflower planting, with pupils walking and sitting in a sunny outdoor setting in front of the school.

Pye Bank School Sheffield

Split view showing the before on the left and the after on the right. of the historic school facade. Overgrown external areas and boarded up windows have been replaced by a coloured crumb floor finish in yellow and green and new white framed windows set against the stone work.

Collage of interior views showing a bright classroom with large windows and desks, alongside circulation spaces including a stairwell and corridor with signage and modern finishes.

The two storey Victorian stone school building with ornate architecture and a central gable, overlooking the sit to the new build build school on the left of the image. In the foreground, there’s a brick retaining wall with the fenced sports court and play area with young people using it. Thee scene is set under a partly cloudy and sunny sky,

Interior before-and-after comparison showing a derelict, stripped-out space alongside a refurbished interior with new finishes, lighting and restored parquet flooring.

A before and after shot showing the changes made to the external appearance. The image on the left shows the before photo with boarded up windows and the external area overgrown with vegetaation. The Image on the right shows a cleaned up facade with new windows and a landscaped area whowing coloured resin floor finish in yellow and gree and a timber canopy providing the pupils with shelter.

Project info

Astrea Academy, formerly Woodside School, is a new through school in Sheffield for pupils aged 3– 18, combining a new build with the restoration of the Grade II listed Pye Bank School (1875).

Vacant and structurally unsafe since 2004, the Victorian building was carefully repaired and adapted to create a modern primary school for Nursery to Year 4. Guided by a heritage statement and fixtures audit, key historic features were retained and refurbished, while contemporary interventions introduce accessibility, improved thermal performance and vibrant new learning spaces.

The project restores the building’s original purpose, making space for inclusive, high-quality education while reconnecting an important historic landmark to the wider city and with the local community.

Location

Sheffield

Date

2015-2018

Client

Sheffield City Council
Kier

Services

Architecture
Interior Design

Sustainability

BREEAM Very Good

Cost

£4.5 million

Area

1,960 sq.m

Main Contractor

Kier Construction

Team

Roscoe
Turner and Townsend
Ares Landscape Architects
NG Bailey

Our Team

Laurie Cottam
Pauline Lake
Nick Stables
Amy Paget

Awards

Shortlisted for RICS Building Conservation award

“Throughout the entire design process RCA have demonstrated their commitment, skills, and experience in the education sector. They have been consistently proactive, creative, and transparent. Their ability to engage and inspire the client and all stakeholders/end users throughout the design and planning process has been fundamental to ensuring the project has progressed.”

James Payton-Green Sheffield City Council

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