After just three weeks in their new home, teachers, pupils and their parents have been heaping praise on the new school building, with its spacious classrooms and generous shared teaching areas.
Following its appointment by Willmott Dixon, the Strides’ project team was tasked with extending the existing school, replacing the temporary prefabricated classrooms to accommodate a total of 150 students from the previous 120 (following the closure of nearby St Katharine's Primary School), as well as continuing to provide facilities for the Pre-school.
The school now comprises three elements: the existing building, the ‘Link' building and the new-build extension, with the main entrance and foyer playing a crucial role linking the old with the new.
The refurbished existing building is now home to the pre-school and reception classes, as well as providing a room for community use with staff accommodation at the first floor. The new-build extension has a simple arrangement of classrooms and service spaces and is connected to the new hall by a light and airy, double-height ‘Heart' space. The Heart doubles up as a flexible learning resource area with library and small group rooms, creating a lively environment with direct visual connection to the outside.
Winford’s pupils, who, according to parents are now ‘excited’ to go to school, enjoy day lit, naturally ventilated internal spaces with glazed screens between them so that all activity is in view. A colour scheme of natural tones provides the perfect backdrop for displays of pupils’ work and curving patterns in the flooring create a visible link flowing from one space to another.
Bespoke acoustic attenuators were installed to allow natural ventilation to classrooms whilst minimising noise disturbance caused by low flying aircraft from nearby Bristol International Airport.
External play areas retain the use of the pond and natural woodland habitat for learning. Additional areas of hard-play and covered outdoor areas, including teaching decks at first floor, allow teaching outdoors – even when it rains.
Described as ‘stunning’, ‘spectacular’ and ‘outstanding’ by parents, the building has clearly been a big hit, but the environment benefits too. The development will generate a minimum of 15% of predicted energy consumption through on-site renewable energy generation systems, including a highly efficient solar hot water system.
Winford’s teachers and staff are also delighted with their new surroundings. In their recent school newsletter they said; “We are all excited about our fantastic premises and look forward to taking advantage of this opportunity to further enhance the education of your children. These premises provide a unique learning environment that is unmatched not only in North Somerset but also in the whole of the South West.”
David Hunter, Director of Education at Stride Treglown, commented; “It’s fantastic to receive such rave reviews from the people visiting, working and learning in the building at such an early stage. This has been a rewarding project for all involved and we have enjoyed working on an education project that is not only state of the art in its design, but also forward-thinking when it comes to sustainability. We hope we have raised the bar for primary school buildings in the South West.”
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