£5 million sports pavilion for The King’s School in Macclesfield

Modulek, the leading UK provider of high-quality modular building solutions, has completed a £5 million sports pavilion for the King’s School in Macclesfield.

They've adapted an existing traditional-build design to deliver new changing and function facilities within the school’s remaining project budget.

Named the Forster Pavilion, and as the school commences its 525-year anniversary celebrations, the two-storey pavilion provides 1,000 square metres of accommodation across 24 modules. It combines four pupil changing rooms and staff facilities on the ground floor with a large first-floor function space, meeting rooms and a commercial kitchen.

The pavilion was the final element of the school’s wider new-build development. Rising construction costs during the Covid period had left the original scheme beyond the available budget, prompting the school to explore an alternative approach.

Following an initial meeting with the school’s Bursar at an exhibition in Manchester, Modulek developed a value-engineered design and was appointed directly by the school to deliver the project.

While the completed Forster Pavilion retains the balcony, brick finishes and much of the layout from the school’s original design, Modulek introduced a new overhanging roof feature, creating a distinctive appearance while providing 1,000m. of accommodation across 24 modules.

The ground floor space provides two large and two smaller changing rooms with showers to accommodate up to 200 pupils, plus five individual changing rooms are allocated for match officials and staff. Upstairs, the open-plan function space accommodates approximately 100 people and benefits from an increased ceiling height. Two meeting rooms, a commercial kitchen, servery and washrooms complete the first-floor facilities.

The project took nine months overall, including five months on site. Existing changing rooms were demolished during the Easter holidays, and module delivery was also scheduled during a school holiday period. The new pavilion was completed for the start of the September 2026 term.

During term-time construction, a segregated compound, anti-climb fencing and coordinated site access helped manage disruption. Operatives were DBS checked and cleared before working on site, while deliveries avoided school drop-off and pick-up times. Extended hours and weekend working supported delivery within the agreed programme and the school’s £5 million budget.

Jason Slack, Head of Foundation, The King’s School, commented:

“The School is absolutely delighted with the completed building.  It represents a wonderful addition to our new school site.  The attention to detail to match the finished design to the existing school buildings was very much appreciated. Features such as the wraparound balcony and the open plan function suite make the pavilion a standout facility that reinforces the reputation for excellent facilities that the school enjoys.

The building was much quicker to construct than a traditional build would have been and this helped to keep disruption to normal school operation to a minimum.  We’re delighted with the finished product.”

Stephen Pester, Commercial Director, Modulek, added: 

“The school had a clear vision for its pavilion and a fixed budget to deliver it. Our role was to find a way to bring those together, retaining the features that mattered while rethinking how the building could be designed and constructed.

The balcony, roof overhang and matching brick finishes give the Forster Building a strong architectural identity. We are proud of the team’s commitment to delivering the new facilities in time for the September term, while working carefully around the day-to-day life of the school.”

Pictured - The King's School - Forster Pavilion.