A different sort of dig in Saar:

a gate to the future not the past

On the 29 th July 2004 a historic document was signed which gave the go ahead to GPZ ( Zachariades GP ) to begin work on the new Junior school in Saar .

A stunning school of the future is planned. Overall costs for this phase of the project will be in excess of three million denars. BNP Paribas have provided loan finance and payments will be made out of future cash - flow arising from outside the School's normal operating costs. To supervise the project the School has contracted Tebodin as construction managers and engineers. Cost Partnership are the Quantity Surveyors.

We have planned very open, light, spacious buildings and an impressive, welcoming entrance. Our architects Gredeco Ansari and in particular Jim Knox have been both patient and inspirational. Many of the design features we originally suggested have been incorporated, together with a highly creative use of space to ensure there will be an outstanding school and facilities we can all enjoy and be proud of. The new Junior school will, without a doubt, not only have the best primary facilities on the island but will set trends in the region as a whole. The outline plans include space for a new Infant school on the same site, which will be a development to be addressed in a few years time when the school is able to consider another phase to the project.

The new Junior school will have a purpose built Sports hall with an adjacent outdoor swimming pool. Space is also being reserved so an outside running track could be a possible future development. A separate Junior school hall with a large stage and useful back - stage green room facilities will finally bring to an end our current nightmare at Isa town of only one large space where everything has to happen!

There will be a library on two floors, centrally located with ICT suites close by. Classrooms are spacious and located in year group areas around a central activity street. In order to ensure that children feel secure and can firmly identify with their year group, each year group will have its own conceptual theme. Overhead walkways will link different wings of the school together to ease movement around the buildings and to ensure staff and pupils have as much contact as possible with each other.

Design -Technology and Art are located next to each other and in addition to the extensive storage, which these subjects need; they will have open display areas and lots of light. Purpose built science labs, two large music and smaller practice rooms and other specialist areas for French Arabic and Learning support will ensure that our new Junior school facilities are state of the art in terms of what is generally provided for the Primary years.

We are at the moment discussing the outside areas and landscaping so may well be looking for some help by way of sponsorship to ensure these areas are as green and have as much natural shade as possible. If you feel you and/ or your company would like to help with sponsorship of this in any way please do not hesitate to contact me at the Junior school.