SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND STROUD COLLEGE

SGS college required a new performance lab in the brand new specialist Brunel building on the college’s Wise Campus. The impressive building will become home to sixth form Science, Technology, Maths, and Engineering courses.

The project was intended to expose learners to the currently used digital technologies within sport and exercise science, to enable them to better transition directly into industry.

Using the new space students can begin working with the college’s professional partners such as Bristol Flyers and Bristol Bears to assess, report and support to enhance performance programs delivered by the partners. This will effectively run as an onsite work placement.

Perform Better were asked to consult on the project because of their experience working within both academic and high-performance environments.

Overview

SGS WISE (the West of England Institute of Specialist Education) was opened in 2005 as a brand new, state-of-the-art vocational centre for sport and the arts. SGS WISE is equipped with outstanding sports facilities and a leader in sporting provision in the South West. The campus facilities include:

Indoor sports hall
Eight-lane Olympic-sized track
12 five-a-side pitches
2 x 3G artificial floodlit pitch
Eight-lane 400m athletics track
Strength and conditioning gym
American football grid iron
Boxing suite.

Alongside their full time education at the college students can add on one of the 11 sporting academy options to their study.

The college required a new performance lab in the brand new specialist Brunel building on the college’s Wise Campus. The impressive building has become home to sixth form Science, Technology, Maths, and Engineering courses.

The project was intended to expose learners to the currently used digital technologies within sport and exercise science, to enable them to better transition directly into industry.

Using the new space students can begin working with the college’s professional partners such as Bristol Flyers and Bristol Bears to assess, report and support to enhance performance programs delivered by the partners. This will effectively run as an onsite work placement.

Perform Better were asked to consult on the project because of their experience working within both academic and high-performance environments.

Equipment

The Performance Power rack with integrated platform provides a great base for barbell movements and both sound insulation and shock absorption, allowing Olympic lifts to now be performed. The rack was manufactured in the college colours.

PaviEco flooring was specified due to the unique requirements of the lab space. The precision moulded interlocking tiles have received waterproofing and antibacterial treatment, making them easy to clean and maintain. The hard wearing, non-slip surface means the area can still be used functionally based on lesson demands.

VALD ForceDecks and HumanTrak systems are also incorporated into the space and will be used as part of the academic delivery as well as providing a valuable addition to the clinical and performance sport areas of the college. These systems are used extensively within elite sport, so students will have experience with equipment they will find in application once they have left college. The Perform Better and VALD staff combined to train and onboard the team at the college prior to the academic year starting.

Full design images and drawings were provided to the college to confirm the exact specifications prior to manufacture. Installation was coordinated around the build schedule of the new Brunel building to minimize disruption to the college campus.

The equipment provided includes: