Derby primary school rebuilt with eco theme after arson attack

St Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy is set to be the UK's first biophilic school

A primary school destroyed by a teenage arsonist is to be rebuilt as the UK's first "biophilic" school, designed to increase wellbeing through exposure to nature.

St Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy in Broadway, Derby, was one of six buildings set on fire by Johnny Brady in 2020.

Pupils were relocated to a temporary site at St James House in the city.

The damage was so severe the school had to be demolished.

The cost of rebuilding the school, destroyed in October 2020, is £8m.

Construction of the new eco-school, on the original site, started in February.

It has five main single-storey structures clad with cedar and connected with a central covered walkway.

Pupils have been to look at the construction of their new school building

The biophilic design focuses on connecting those inside the building with nature with a goal of promoting physical and mental health.

This will be supported by the planting of 96 trees later this year.

Amanda Greaves, executive head teacher at St Mary's, said: "We are very much looking forward to returning to our permanent home.

"We appreciate how much moving into our new building means to our whole school community and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us on this journey."

The fire ripped through classrooms at the former school building

The school construction is a pilot project for the Department for Education.

Neil Holland, project manager, said: "There's no doubt that this school is a real precedent for quality and sustainability."