Sheppard Robson, has won a contract to design the £20 million St Ambrose Voluntary Aided College in Hale Barns, Trafford with Balfour Beatty. The project is being funded by the government’s National Academies Framework Part 1.

Sheppard Robson has designed the school to reflect its Catholic ethos, with the space at the centre of the building representing the heart of the community. The central area is a multi functioning space that includes the chapel and dining and social areas.

A strong sense of community is reflected throughout the school, with the educational areas circling the central space. The central space is visible at all points within the school.

Tony O’Brien, design director at Sheppard Robson, commented: “Our primary considerations when designing St Ambrose were to provide a high performance school with cutting edge teaching facilities, and to ensure that the building reflects the schools catholic faith, expressing a strong sense of community.

“St Ambrose is comprised of four houses, with each student allocated a house for the duration of their time at the school, reinforcing this sense of community not just in the physical appearance of the school, but also in the way it operates.”

St Ambrose will also boast high quality sports facilities, with the sports hall suspended over the swimming pool.

The building is expected to be submitted for planning permission in May 2010, with completion in 2011.