Building Space: How A City-Centre Primary School Is Setting A New Design Blueprint

Castleward Primary School is an innovative new primary school set to be built in the heart of Derby’s city centre. Craig Taylor, associate director of Lungfish Architects, describes the challenges posed by the school’s limited site size and how they used the restrictions as a catalyst for creativity.

The UK’s towns and cities are bursting at the seams. Indeed, more than a million people in rented homes are suffering overcrowding as city centres continue to swell in size. So naturally, the question of exactly where these people – especially families – will live, learn and grow is high on the agenda for councils across the nation.

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      string(6067) "Learning Spaces  Volume 1:1  Volume 1:1  Learning SpacesCase studywww.teachingtimes.comCase studywww.teachingtimes.comSandal Magna Community Primary School inWakefield is anticipated to be one of the mostcarbon efficient schools in the UK. In Septemberit opened its doors for the first time to pupils, staffand the wider community. As a practice it’s a majormilestone for us – it’s our first completed schoolbuilding and the end of a long but very rewardingprocess.The BriefIn January 2006 Wakefield Council commissionedSarah Wigglesworth Architects, in partnership withNPS Group, to design a replacement for the VictorianGothic Sandal Magna Primary School. The old schoolhad reached the end of its life, and the council haddecided that a new school should be built on thesame site. The new school had to accommodate 210pupils aged between 5-11 years alongside nurseryprovision, and needed to be capable of expansionto 315 pupils. The school also contains a communityroom for use by parents and local people for adulteducation and other purposes.Wakefield Council was keen to ensure that theschool provided not only a superb education formany years to come, they wanted a school to be highquality, signifying that this was a community wellworth investing in. Their vision for the new schoolwas to achieve a leading example of sustainabledesign, based around issues addressed in ourExemplar School Design for the DfES: functionality,sustainability, buildability, efficiency, aesthetics anddurability. Developing a sense of ownership amongdifferent user groups is central to SWA’s approachas an architecture practice, and we embarked on aseries of consultation meetings to involve a varietyof groups to understand what issues were key tothe design. The aim of this was to arrive at a series ofinnovative, sustainable and ultimately popular designdecisions. Over a period of time we held site visits andconsultation meetings with Wakefield Council, staff,parents, the local community and other stakeholders.The school themselves were fierce advocates fora new kind of school, one which could support thespecific needs of their pupils and their parents. TheHead, Julia Simpson, and her Deputy and GreenChampion Ann Smith, were particularly interestedin how the design could support the school indeveloping their sustainable curriculum, and inembedding ecological thinking into the daily routinesand management practices of the school throughactivities such as recycling, a walking bus, healthyeating programmes and physical exercise. So the newbuilding needed to provide good access to outdoorspaces, with lots of different spaces for outdoorlearning and play. The school wanted a building fullof wonder and challenge, so we developed ideasaround using the building as a teaching tool in its ownLivinghistoryThe replacement for Sandal Magna CommunityPrimary School is a flagship eco-school thatpays homage to its Victorian past. SarahWigglesworth explains.Learning Spaces  Volume 1:1  Volume 1:1  Learning SpacesCase studywww.teachingtimes.comCase studywww.teachingtimes.comright – visible services, fair faced materials, quality daylighting and calm,beautiful spaces designed for different modes of learning.As a result of the engagement with stakeholders we were able toestablish a set of key criteria which would inform the design of thenew school: ■ the importance of a new identity for the school with a positive streetpresence ■ maintaining a sense of history and memory ■ providing a welcoming building for students, parents and teachers ■ site security and robustness of materials ■ scale and relationship of the new building to its setting ■ flexibility of spaces within the new building ■ provision of a variety of play spaces ■ importance of a community space ■ importance of energy efficiency and sustainabilityOur engagement sessions continued throughout thedesign into the selection of furniture, interior andexterior finishes, equipment and external planting.We were extremely lucky to have a great project teamled by David Brown from Wakefield Council as well asan inspirational and driven head teacher.Response – the designThe school’s design takes its cue from thesurrounding vernacular architecture: the red-brickVictorian terraces of Sandal, an inner-city suburbof Wakefield. The school is laid out as three parallelsingle storey wings that reflect the street pattern,while the red brick of those terraces is also usedextensively throughout the school. Along the lengthof the teaching block, which echo the rooflines ofneighbouring houses, the natural ventilation stacksmark the classrooms at regular intervals, while, atthe centre of the site, the school is crowned by astriking new bell tower evoking the tall chimneysof Wakefield’s industrial heritage. Within the tower,the old school bell has been overhauled and rehungto provide the much-desired sense of history andmemory, a desire expressed during the consultationprocess.The overall design of the school is highlycontemporary. Teaching spaces are provided inthree sizes – standard class bases for 30 pupils, spacesfor 20 and small group rooms for individual or smallgroup tuition. There are teaching kitchens, a librarywith zig-zag windows and an ICT suite which can besubdivided for teaching smaller groups. 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Learning Spaces

Living history

22 Feb 2011

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      string(5861) "When Natrona County high school students in Casper, Wyoming, arrived at their academy labs last August at Pathways Innovation Center – the district’s new career-focused academy – they were welcomed with stacks of unopened boxes filled with state-of-the-art equipment. Their first assignment? Set up the equipment and their labs so they could start exploring, creating and collaborating on projects that fascinated them.The assignment set the stage for what district leaders, teachers, students and the community envisioned for the school: a place for student innovation and empowerment. 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Students oversee every aspect of the projects — from ideation to prototyping to execution — under the guidance of caring and motivating teachers, who are called mentors. From setting up equipment and managing labs to creating, leading and presenting projects, the academies are student-driven environments.  “Students manage every aspect of the labs, know all of the equipment, and have had to get the proper licenses to operate the labs,” says Molly Voris, coach of the Creative Arts, Communications and Design Academy (CACD). “They are getting the hands-on experience, skills and confidence they need to move forward.” For example, culinary arts students create a lunch menu for students and staff each day and also do catering for school events and community gatherings. 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ECO Friendly Design

Re-Thinking The Vocational Space

17 Nov 2017

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      string(5733) "from the furniture!The pace of change is such that it is very, verydemanding, and a lot of people will be left behind,get lost or become misguided by the sheer rate atwhich change is happening and expectations areevolving. It is very hard, but it’s a good problem tohave because we are getting much better.I think that, as a sector today, we are deliveringsome fantastic buildings with some fantastictechnology and we really are truly enhancingthe learning experience. It’s hard and it is goingto take an awful lot of investment financially andindividually to make sure that we stay current, but it’sa good problem to have. It’s a much more excitingenvironment to be working in, I think, now than everbefore.TH And that’s a positive note to end on , Mat, thanksvery much for your time today, and we lookforward to seeing you at the event on 29th-30thMarch in London.MD Thanks very much, I look forward to it.https://nextgenlearning.iqpc.co.uk/agenda-mchttps://nextgenlearning.iqpc.co.uk/agenda-mc11 Volume Special Issue Learning SpacesShowcasewww.teachingtimes.com4 issues per year – OnlineLearning Spaces magazine looks at howschools are attempting to improve theirenvironments for learning. Using exciting casestudies of new and refurbished schools, itlooks at the most creative attempts to matchdesign with new developments in teachingand learning. A key mission of the magazineis to give school staff and pupils – the users– more say over design and development.There is a strong emphasis on maintenance,refurbishment and managing the PrimaryCapital programmes.Recent Learning Spaces articles haveincluded:• Learning to live with your new school• Changing Cultures by Changing Spaces• Building Projects – Heaven or Hell?• What do you want in your outdoor space?• Opportunities for Participation andInnovation – learning from Primary Schools.Learning SpacesPlease return to: Subscriptions, Teaching Times U205 The Jubilee Centre, 130 Pershore Street, Birmingham, B5 6NDNameJob TitleDelivery addressPost codeTel. no.*Email address (Mandatory for emailed bulletins)■ Official Order No.I enclose: ■ Cheque £ payable to Imaginative Minds.■ Credit Card (Please give card address if different to delivery address)Card name Card addressCard No.Start date Expiry date Isuue No Security NoSignaturePrint nameCall the Subscriptions Orderline 0121 224 7599 Fax back this form 0121 224 7598To subscribe to Learning Spaces fill details belowLearning Spaces e-magazine:Please tick boxPrimary £70 +VATSecondary £90 +VATBusiness/ Corporate £120 +VATIndividual £50 +VATFor Libraries, Universities & Trade orders, pleasetelephone 0121 224 7599 as different prices apply.12 Learning Spaces Volume Special IssueShowcasewww.teachingtimes.com Learn from the higher education sector’sleading experts:Keith LilleyDirector of Estates and Facilities ManagementUniversity of SheffieldMat Davies MCIOBOxford Saïd Estate Director, Said Business SchoolUniversity of OxfordMatt TarlingDirectorStride TreglownProf Mark BrownDirector of the National Institute for DigitalLearningDublin City UniversityIris PeetersEducational Developer, Faculty of ScienceKULeuvenMarij VeugelersExpert Learning Spaces Campus DevelopmentUniversity of Amsterdam/AmsterdamUniversity of Applied SciencesAlastair CreelmanE-Learning SpecialistLinnaeus UniversityMika SuutariHead of Learning Environment ServicesTurku University of Applied SciencesJulian GitshamPrincipalHassell See inside for the full list of speakersWeb www.learningspacesuk.com l Tel +44 (0) 207 036 1300 l Email enquire@iqpc.co.uk 1Main Conference: 29th – 30th March 2017 l Pre-Conference Workshops: 28th March 2017 l Location: London, UKImprove Learning & Teaching Outcomesby Linking Pedagogy, Spaces and TechnologyThe convergence of technology, pedagogy and space can leadto exciting models of campus interactions.Diana Oblinger, Former President, EduCauseg Improve student engagement, retention and academic results by adopting the uniqueapproaches leading universities across the world are using to re-imagine their learning spacesg Design and implement cost-effective, flexible and future-proofed spaces to ensure your learningenvironments can adapt to future demands and continue to deliver world class teachingg Select, integrate and utilise technology to drive innovation to optimise the learning process anddeliver on student expectations now and into the futureg Develop key metrics to monitor and measure performance of new learning spaces to identifyareas of improvement and justify the investmentg Collaborate effectively with all stakeholders throughout the entire project process to avoid cost blowouts, time delays and missing the briefJoin the UK’s most prestigious universities to discover how to:13 Volume Special Issue Learning SpacesShowcasewww.teachingtimes.comLearn from the higher education sector’sleading experts:Keith LilleyDirector of Estates and Facilities ManagementUniversity of SheffieldMat Davies MCIOBOxford Saïd Estate Director, Said Business SchoolUniversity of OxfordMatt TarlingDirectorStride TreglownProf Mark BrownDirector of the National Institute for DigitalLearningDublin City UniversityIris PeetersEducational Developer, Faculty of ScienceKULeuvenMarij VeugelersExpert Learning Spaces Campus DevelopmentUniversity of Amsterdam/AmsterdamUniversity of Applied SciencesAlastair CreelmanE-Learning SpecialistLinnaeus UniversityMika SuutariHead of Learning Environment ServicesTurku University of Applied SciencesJulian GitshamPrincipalHassell See inside for the full list of"
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Learning Spaces

The Seven Point Checklist For Successful Learning Spaces

13 Mar 2017

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      string(5919) "28 Learning Spaces  Volume 1:4Showcase – Primarywww.teachingtimes.comMeeting theschool placeschallengeSteve Loughe on how ARK Schools, London Boroughof Ealing and BAM have worked together to create abrand new primary school which delivers for its localcommunity.29 Volume 1:4  Learning SpacesShowcase – Primarywww.teachingtimes.comThe London Borough of Ealing isfacing a shortfall of 4,698 primaryplaces. Academy chains and FreeSchools are one of the ways thatlocal authorities, such as Ealing,are looking to fill this challenging gap. In thiscontext, the first cohort of 60 children willenter the gates of ARK Priory Primary Academythis September. It will reach its full capacityof 450 pupils in 2019 with 2 Forms of Entryfrom Reception to Year 6, and a 30 place fulltime equivalent Nursery, and is already over-subscribed.BAM Construction working together withBAM Design have delivered this brand newbuilding, carefully reflecting ARK Schools’ brief,within an 12 month build period.ARK Schools operate 27 academies inLondon, Birmingham Hastings and Portsmouth,and ARK Priory will be its eighth primary inLondon. The group, set up in 2004, is part of theinternational children’s charity ARK which runsa range of education and health programmesin the UK, southern Africa, India and EasternEurope. They are an experienced, informed andknowledgeable client with a clearly definedbrief.All ARK schools prioritise the same six keyprinciples:1. High expectations2. Excellent teaching3. Exemplary behaviour4. Depth before breadth5. More time for learning6. Knowing every childThe founding head of ARK Priory PrimaryAcademy, Jacqueline Steele, has already startedone outstanding primary from scratch for ARKbefore so knows what is involved.  She says that:“Creating a school from scratch is a fantasticopportunity for any head as it enables you toestablish how you want the school to run fromday one. We’ve been able to work with our staffto define and create a school culture that willhelp every child achieve their full potential. Ourpartnership with BAM has also been importantin enabling us to create the right environmentto support our educational ambitions.”30 Learning Spaces  Volume 1:4Showcase – Primarywww.teachingtimes.comARK’s brief for the school was to provide:A calm, nurturing environment;Easy access to external areas and shared facilities;Age appropriate facilities to support a range ofextra-curricular activities;Good quality FFE;And to maximise natural lighting.■■■■■The school required a hall at its heart that wouldbe used for a variety of timetabled lessons andperformances. They were looking for efficient andhealthy dining and kitchen facilities and specificallyrequested “no atria!”Outdoor space was to be carefully designed formaximum multifunctional use for play, teaching,and sport as well as providing direct access for 31 Volume 1:4  Learning SpacesShowcase – Primarywww.teachingtimes.comearly years provision and an attractive settingfor the school building, within a site that wassignificantly undersized compared to BuildingBulletin 99 guidelines.IT requirements focussed on flexibility andreliability while the brief for sustainabilityfocussed on low energy and low carbonoutcomes.ARK Priory Primary Academy will open on thesite of the former Priory First School and PrioryCommunity Centre in Acton Town Centre, WestLondon. The building occupies a tight triangularsite in an urban setting just off the noisy UxbridgeRoad with the challenge of an adjacent railwayembankment, overlooking from neighbouringproperties, rights of light issues and a Victorianschool house on the site, considered worthy oflocal townscape merit. 32 Learning Spaces  Volume 1:4Showcase – Primarywww.teachingtimes.comBAM were appointed as both the selectedcontractor and design team to design and buildthe new Academy via competition under theEducation Funding Agency Academies Framework.BAM’s initial design strategy, based on the ControlOption, was to retain part of the existing buildingson the front of the site and extend to the rear.However, the existing buildings did not provideefficient use of space, meaning a large proportionof the available site would be used up for buildings,which compromised external play and learningspaces.An alternative 100% new build scheme wasexplored and proved to provide far more efficientand adaptable accommodation to meet theimmediate and longer term needs of 21st centurypupils. Although the planning office would havepreferred to keep the existing street frontage, agood quality urban design new build solutionsatisfied their ambitions. The new primary schoolbuilding addresses exactly the same street frontageas the old, with a prominent, welcoming visitor’sentrance and separate pupils’ gateway “Portal” tocreate an equal sense of arrival.The contemporary design complements andenhances the existing streetscape, using a mixof traditional and modern materials and at anappropriate scale for a school while reflectingthe surrounding mix of Victorian and modernsurroundings. References to the Victorian schoolwere incorporated into the new building such asthe Foundation plaque as well as part of a wroughtiron staircase balustrade which has been installedas a Juliet balcony to the headteacher’s officeoverlooking the reception area.The constricted site and streetscapedictated a 3 storey solution but partof the elevation was dropped to1.5 storey to address rights of lightissues. On a multi-storey buildingthere is always competition forthe ground floor space. The maincommunal spaces – the two"
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Learning Spaces

Meeting the school places challenge

30 Oct 2013