Geometric design to new Parmiter's mathematics block (From Watford Observer)

Former department head opens new purpose-built maths block at Parmiter's School

3:39pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Amie Mulderrig, Features Writer

Past and present staff joined students from Parmiter’s School in Garston on Tuesday to mark the opening of the school’s new mathematics block.

The new building, which has been designed with a geometric theme, is a two storey structure with eight octagonal classrooms.

There is a large glass screen at the front that stretches up both floors and a glass point-like window at the top of the building allowing the maximum amount of light into the rooms. The second floor has a hole in the centre surrounded by railings giving a greater sense of space, as well as opening up the entire building.

Alan Francis, who joined Parmiter’s in High Elms Lane as head of maths in 1967 when it was a boys’ grammar in Bethnal Green, retiring in 2008, opened the new building.     
                                                     
Work on the new structure started in August 2011 and was completed by the summer term of 2012. The funding for the project was from central government via the local authority and cost about £900,000.

Janet Lloyd, head of maths, said: "Moving into our magnificent state of the art, purpose-built block will enable us to maintain the high levels of success and student satisfaction that have always characterised the department. 

"Once again this year the hard work and determination of students and staff combined has led to superb results at all levels this summer: 98.4 per cent of Year 11 obtained grades A*to C with 77.8 per cent achieving an A* or A grade in their GCSEs, while at A Level, 106 of the 108 students in Years 12 and 13 achieved grades A* to C in either A Level Maths or Further Maths, with 48 of them awarded a grade A*, 30 awarded a grade A and 21 awarded a grade B."