Berkhamsted’s topping out ceremony

With the completion of our Berkhamsted School’s new Sixth Form building in sight, we commemorated the occasion with a ‘topping-out’ ceremony this week. The evening saw Sixth Formers, School staff, Governors, Architects and Principal Richard Backhouse eagerly gather to sign their names on a wooden panel that would be later drilled into the walls for future Berkhamstedians to uncover. 

The evening began with welcome beverages as staff, students, and the construction team were excited to stand in the long-anticipated building.  

Guests then heard a heartfelt speech from Mr Backhouse who spoke about the wonderful prospects Berkhamsted’s new Sixth Form would open for pupils. To prepare students for the world that awaits them, the new Sixth will feature spaces that imitate modern, collaborative workplaces. These will include the ‘Future Zone’ (a workspace for aspiring entrepreneurs) and classrooms designed around the Harkness Model. “The world outside School is changing fast,” Richard explains, “We need a new building to prepare children even better for the changing demands of the world.” 

The topping-out ceremony was also an opportunity to thank and commend the hard-working construction team at Beard Construction who have brought Berkhamsted’s vision of a modern Sixth Form to life.  

While we anticipate the official opening of our Sixth Form building later this year, the topping-out event was a fantastic opportunity to gather the School community and mark the building’s progress so far!