Founded in 1515, the school has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and this project reflects its continued investment in high-quality facilities that support both tradition and modern learning.
The scheme involved the demolition of the existing sports pavilion and Sieff Theatre, making way for a new two-storey Pavilion and Sixth Form Centre, providing approximately 1,950 square metres of accommodation. Designed to complement the school’s 1930s campus, the building takes its architectural cues from the existing estate, with carefully detailed brickwork, regular glazing patterns and a clay tile roof with deep overhangs, ensuring it sits comfortably within its historic context.
The Hibbitt Centre brings together a wide range of functions within a single, cohesive building. It includes ten dedicated classrooms, a large dining space designed to accommodate the full Sixth Form across multiple sittings, a kitchen, common room and staff support areas. The sports pavilion element provides modern changing facilities with integrated washrooms and showers, alongside medical and staff areas to support sporting activities. A flexible common room has also been created to support both independent study and wider school use.
Internally, the material specification reflects the quality and longevity expected of the school. High-quality finishes are used throughout, with a particular emphasis on bespoke hardwood joinery and slatted acoustic ceiling installations. Much of this was manufactured and installed by John Turner Construction’s in-house joinery team, ensuring a high level of craftsmanship and consistency across the building.
The design carefully responds to its setting, with the south-facing elevation combining solid and lightweight elements to form a pavilion with viewing terraces overlooking the sports grounds. At ground level, a defined courtyard space enhances movement around the site while creating an attractive and functional outdoor environment that integrates with the existing English Building.
Sustainability and long-term performance were key considerations, with the building designed as an all-electric facility incorporating improved insulation and efficient building systems to help reduce operational costs and support the school’s environmental objectives.
Delivered within a live school environment, the project required careful coordination to minimise disruption. The completed Hibbitt Centre now provides Manchester Grammar School with a high-quality, future-focused facility that enhances both academic and extracurricular life, while respecting the character and heritage of the wider campus.
Client: The Manchester Grammar School
