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Client:

Hillview School for Girls

Location:

Tonbridge, Kent

Solution:

Significant fire safety and heating upgrades across a large and complex school estate.

The Brief / Challenge

At Hillview School for Girls, Ashley Consultants were appointed to address significant fire safety and heating deficiencies across a large and complex school estate. Life safety had been compromised by an ineffective and non-compliant fire alarm system, while key buildings, including the canteen and business block, were suffering from poor thermal performance and associated health & safety concerns.

The extent of the issues required a comprehensive, coordinated solution, beyond the scope of direct school funding. A successful Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) application was therefore secured to deliver essential fire safety and building services upgrades.

Given the importance of the canteen to daily school operations, and the scale of works across multiple buildings, a carefully phased programme was required to ensure safety and maintain continuity of use throughout the project.

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The Solution

Ashley Consultants developed a coordinated strategy combining fire safety, fabric upgrades and heating improvements within a carefully phased programme, ensuring alignment between workstreams and minimal disruption to school operations.

The fire alarm system was upgraded to L2 standard, retaining compliant devices where possible, with new panels and full site-wide interlinking to improve performance and reliability.

Targeted building fabric upgrades addressed fire safety and thermal deficiencies, replacing combustible elements with compliant, low-maintenance alternatives. In parallel, the canteen heating system was fully replaced to resolve longstanding reliability, control and efficiency issues, delivering a more consistent internal environment.

Works were carefully phased, with critical activities delivered during summer holidays to minimise disruption to school operations.

The works consisted of:

  • Fire alarm upgrade to L2, including new panels and interlinked system

  • Replacement of timber windows with aluminium units and new final exit doors

  • Replacement of combustible cladding with fire-rated cementitious system

  • Installation of new insulation to external walls to improve thermal performance

  • Replacement of internal ceilings with non-combustible insulated systems

  • Installation of new high-efficiency gas-fired condensing boiler

  • Provision of large surface area, low surface temperature heat emitters

  • Introduction of smart controls and fully zoned heating system

The Result

The project has delivered a fully compliant and significantly safer environment across the school Thermal comfort has been greatly improved, eliminating overheating and cold conditions, particularly within the canteen and teaching spaces.

The upgraded heating system now provides reliable, efficient operation with improved control, while also supporting future transition to low-carbon solutions. Meanwhile, durable, low-maintenance materials reduce ongoing costs, providing long-term value for the school.

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