Hodgson Sayers has completed a programme of roofing projects at schools across the North East during the summer holidays, drawing on its extensive experience in the education sector to ensure they were ready for the return of pupils and staff.
The projects, delivered for education trusts and local authorities across the North East, demonstrate Hodgson Sayers’ ability to deliver roofing improvements in a sector where careful planning, technical expertise and the ability to work to tight holiday programmes are essential.
With a strong order book and a growing portfolio of contracts across both the public and private sectors, Hodgson Sayers operates across the North of England and the Midlands, where it has a base in Nottingham. Established in 1979, the 100-strong firm has built a strong reputation for quality, reliability and its commitment to social value.
It delivers a wide range of services, including roofing, civils and building maintenance, heritage conservation and security products and systems.
By completing the works during the school summer break, the company was able to minimise disruption while delivering improvements to buildings that will support schools for years to come.
This summer’s programme included projects at St Michael’s RC Primary School, Langley Park Primary School, Teesdale School and Sixth Form, St Anne’s CofE Primary School and Glynwood Primary School, where Hodgson Sayers completed Phase One of a three-year roofing improvement programme for Gateshead Council.
At St Michael’s RC Primary School, part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, Hodgson Sayers carried out improvements to five roofs, including a thermal upgrade. The school has a long history, having been established in 1795, and is one of the oldest in the Hexham and Newcastle Diocese. The project presented some unusual challenges, with bats and nesting birds identified alongside asbestos within the existing roof. The team worked with ecologists and specialist asbestos contractors to ensure these issues were managed safely before the roofing works proceeded.
At St Anne’s CofE Primary School in Bishop Auckland, the first phase of a re-roofing programme for Durham County Council included thermal upgrades to the roof spaces and works to a large polycarbonate roof section covering an outdoor play area used by pupils.
The project presented logistical and technical challenges, with the landlocked site requiring materials to be moved around the school by forklift. Some elements involved bespoke roofing systems requiring specialist skills, with six operatives, including two roofing apprentices, working alongside an additional experienced senior roofing operative.
John Sayers, managing director of Hodgson Sayers, said: “Working on schools requires a particular understanding of the environment. Projects often need to be delivered during the holidays, giving our teams a very limited window in which to complete the work safely and to a high standard.
“Every project is different and we regularly have to overcome technical, logistical and practical challenges while working around the needs of the school. Our experience means we understand how to plan and deliver these projects effectively, whether we are working on an historic building, dealing with specialist requirements or managing a challenging site.
“Ultimately, our work helps to ensure schools have buildings that are safe, well maintained and fit for the future, which is something we are proud to contribute to.”