Highcliffe School case study:

Recently the Style team was called to work in two very different education establishments where help was needed to maximise the limited space available.

With nearly 1,400 secondary and sixth form pupils, Highcliffe School is located just a short walk from the Dorset coast.

The school wanted an honest assessment as to whether its old wall, that separated the main school hall from a canteen service desk, could be repaired.

Style’s technicians concluded that it was beyond repair and that the best solution would be to install a new, modern folding wall system that would serve the teaching staff and pupils for many years to come.

They worked directly with the school to install a Stylefold 120 folding wall.

One of the key benefits of the Stylefold system is its ease of operation, offering maximum flexibility for the school to use the wall on a day-to-day basis to open the canteen service desk and give pupils access to the newly installed chiller.

Julian Sargent, Style’s Group Managing Director said: “Our engineers are usually able to repair moveable walls that have fallen into disrepair. However, on this occasion the only option was to install a new folding wall.”

“With the new Stylefold 120 operable wall, we carefully matched the interior design of the room with an oak melamine finish and we installed special jamb posts to clear the existing end brick piers.”

"Staff at Highcliffe have been particularly impressed that the acoustic integrity rating of 46dB Rw allows exams to take place on one side of the wall, whilst kitchen staff prepare for lunch on the other.”

Wolvercote Primary School:

Wolvercote Primary School in Oxfordshire first contracted Style to install a folding wall in one of the classrooms.

Working with architect SixPC and contractor Wensley Group, Style’s team recommended the same Stylefold 120 folding wall with an endfold configuration rather than centrefold arrangement.

This configuration parks the folded panels adjacent to the wall, allowing the school to enjoy added space when it is not in use.

Prior to the new wall being installed, teachers had been running lessons side-by-side, making it difficult for pupils to learn due to noise crossover.

With a 46dB Rw acoustic rating, the new folding wall enables the school to run adjacent classes either side, or quickly open the room up into one large space.