« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Case Studies Building Our Future: Scotland's School Estate
NEW EARLY YEARS CENTRE IN GREENOCK
The opening of Wellpark Children's Centre in 2001 provides a high quality Early Learning and Care environment for 2-5 year olds and their families. This was achieved through a staged process:
- the previous building which housed Wellpark Children's Centre provided 20 part-time places for children aged 3-5 years throughout the year. While the quality of experiences for children was good, it was evident that the environment was poor with the service being provided in a pre-fabricated hut. Further, it was assessed that it would be a poor investment to attempt any major refurbishment of the building due to its poor condition
- consideration was given to using the existing site for a new build centre. This was not viable, however, as the ground was above an underground rail tunnel
- Inverclyde Council had, in this period, been granted development funding for the expansion of pre-school education, and other funding for the provision of Sure Start support services for children under the age of three and their families. An integrated approach to the delivery of pre-school education, childcare and family support for under 3s would benefit the Central Greenock community which Wellpark Nursery had served
- an alternative site to locate a new-build centre was identified nearby. Work was carried out to agree a specification and design for a Children's centre providing modern, high quality facilities to support their learning and development. To inform this process, Education Services staff made visits to centres in other Authorities during this period. These visits, and the knowledge and expertise of local staff, informed Property and Technical Services which brought forward a new build design
- in addition to providing a new state of the art building, the opportunity was taken to create 20 additional pre-school education places, 10 places for children aged 2-3, and accommodation in the Centre for the use of parents and visiting specialists. The design included direct access to well-planned outdoor play areas for children.
Outcome
The successes of this development are:
- ability to meet pre-school education targets for 3 and 4 year olds
- inclusion of places for younger children offered specifically to families with particular support needs
- ability to combine pre-school education and childcare has enabled some parents to participate in training, education and employment knowing that their children are well cared for in a safe, stimulating environment
- provision of services for a wider age range within the one building has improved ease of access for parents
- provision of the Parents' Room has encouraged development of active parental partnerships between the staff and parents and carers
- opportunities for inter-agency support and development for families and children have been enhanced
- Wellpark Children's Centre provides a highly attractive and effective learning environment for the delivery of the early years curriculum
- parents, children and staff feel valued and appreciate the high quality surroundings.
The building of a new Wellpark Children's Centre provided a unique opportunity to enhance the scale and quality of provision of Early Years Services for young children and their families. This was as a sound investment to promote children's wellbeing, development and future attainment.
Lessons
The following lessons can be highlighted:
- the importance of an effective working partnership between Education and Property services on the development and design of the Centre
- a sound knowledge of policy priorities and the potential to enhance services through the application of more than one funding stream
- applying a knowledge of children's learning needs and how these can be supported in the building design - for example access to outdoors to promote environmental awareness and aspects of physical play
- the inclusion of facilities to develop partnership working with parents and other agencies as a model of integrated service provision
- involving staff and parents in our thinking about the appropriateness of the design and furnishing of the provision.
The building of the new Wellpark Children's Centre provided a unique opportunity to enhance the scale and quality of provision of Early Years Services for young children and their families. This has been a sound investment to promote children's wellbeing, development and future attainment.
Contact
Elinor Henderson
Head of Pre Five and Children's Services
Inverclyde Council
105 Dalrymple Street
GREENOCK
PA15 1HT
Telephone: 01475 712828
Email: elinor.henderson@inverclyde.gov.uk
NEW FAMILY CENTRE AT ST BENEDICT'S PRIMARY SCHOOL
This project involves the development of a joint working party to create a family centre that will develop parents skills, provide Social Services support and National Health Service support of child and adolescent mental health in Easterhouse.
Outcome
Provision of a family centre which will assist social and mental health development in the area which will use the educational setting of a primary school to advantage.
The St Benedict's campus building is under construction for completion in June 2004.
Lessons
The joint working group learnt how to deal with the issues and constraints surrounding the design of a wing of the school which would allow:
- the needs of parents' learning and social development to be met
- a resident social work office to meet the needs of school and local families
- local children to receive National Health Service treatment for emergent mental health issues
- flexibile use within the family centre; and users learning about each other's complementary roles and recognising areas of compromise.
Contact
Iain MacDonald
Project Manager
Education Services
Glasgow City Council
Nye Bevan House
North Entrance
20 India Street
GLASGOW
G2 4PF
Telephone: 0141 287 9687
Email: iain.macdonald@education.glasgow.gov.uk
OUT-OF-SCHOOL-HOURS LEARNING ARTS PROGRAMMES
South Lanarkshire sees the arts as an important element in developing every pupil's potential. The four elements in its Out-of-School-Hours Learning Arts Programmes are Artsnet, Screen School, Kidon Radio and Summer Dance School.
Artsnet
Artsnet is an expressive arts network for pupils. The aim is to encourage excellence within the expressive arts, enhance the arts ethos and raise achievement across the curriculum by developing pupils' transferable learning skills. 
Artsnet comprises a variety of weekend and evening workshops for children of different ages covering dance and drama, jazz orchestra, theatre design, rhythm and blues chorus, traditional music group, mini taster courses and events throughout South Lanarkshire.
Screen School
South Lanarkshire Council's Education Resources established a film and video facility for young people in an out of school context. The programme ran from August 2000 until August 2003. It involved 14 schools within the Earnock and John Ogilvie clusters including Hamilton School for the Deaf and Craighead School. This project was funded by the New Opportunities Fund, Lanarkshire Enterprise and Scottish Screen. Pupils made a series of video shorts culminating in a 4-day holiday film school held at two centres. Over the course of each year, 3 productions were made by the changing groups of pupils and the resulting videos were screened at the Glasgow Film Theatre.
Kidon Radio
This project established a Health Promoting Schools radio station in four breakfast clubs in schools with help from a local technology company, experienced in teaching ICT skills to young people. The radio programmes will be produced by the pupils and broadcast to all schools via the South Lanarkshire web. It is hoped to encourage other schools to contribute health promotion material for broadcast. The project is primarily aimed at engaging young people to think about health.
Summer Dance School
'Forward Move' delivers careers-related learning through dance. Styles of dance include break-dancing, contemporary and hip-hop. Young people have the opportunity to develop team working skills, improve their self-esteem and confidence and show creativity.
The project gives pupils from primary 7 to secondary 2 the opportunity to get involved in local day time workshops. Each week during the holidays there is a local performance to friends and family. All participants have the opportunity to be involved in a festival of achievement to celebrate their success.
Outcome
The extended use of school estate facilities can assist in learning and building community capacity for arts and culture. This programme has been extended to small rural schools in Clydesdale using premises in the evening and at weekends. The programme was also extended to fifteen Blantyre Social Inclusion Partnership schools with great success. The radio project is an illustration of the development of a learning project linked to a national healthy living initiative and uses on school estate facilities to deliver the programme.
Lessons
There is a large demand from parents, teachers and children to extend their engagement with learning beyond the formal curriculum. School estate facilities play a part in meeting this demand. Providing flexible facilities within schools key to developing and is extending clients' learning experience. These initiatives highlight the important role played by school estate facilities.
Contact
Brian McGeoch
Arts Education Coordinator
Integrated Children's Services
Education Resources
South Lanarkshire Council
Council Offices
Almada Street
HAMILTON
ML3 0AE
Telephone: 01698 455617
Email: brian.mcgeoch@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
OUTSIDE-IN APPROACH TO PRIMARY SCHOOL REFURBISHMENT
Through a robust process of condition surveys, roll projections and capacity studies, Stirling Council has drawn up a priority list of primary schools with an associated programme of works. This is dealing with the fabric issues of the primary estate, commencing with the exterior fabric (roofs, walls, windows, doors) before moving on to internal refurbishment and remodelling.
Outcome
This prioritised and programmed approach allows a greater number of schools to benefit from some investment each financial year. Larger schools, where works are more extensive, may benefit from a major contract of improvement with associated decant arrangements. It also means that the worst fabric issues are being addressed first. Efficiencies can be achieved by dealing with single trade issues together, and it removes the possibility of resources being wasted by internal work being carried out and subsequently damaged as a result of outstanding exterior fabric matters. Staff and pupils benefit from an enhanced learning and teaching environment, through better insulated, wind and watertight buildings, without significant disruption.
Lessons
This approach is more appropriate for small to medium-sized schools where work can be carried out without the need for major, expensive decants.
Contact
Joyce Wighton
Planning and Resources Manager
Children's Services
Stirling Council
Viewforth
STIRLING
FK8 2ET
Telephone: 01786 443 418
Email: wightonj@stirling.gov.uk
PLANNING FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
In the past, many schools have required extensions. This is often made difficult by factors such as the design of the building, the layout of the site, including parking areas and the position of the building. In secondary schools, extension usually requires one or two additional teaching spaces for each major curricular area, adjacent to existing spaces for that subject. Often this can only be achieved by the relocation of one or more entire subject departments and remodelling of the rooms they vacate. Common facilities such as staffrooms, corridors, and dining facilities may be inadequate for the needs of the enlarged school.
Meldrum Academy is the best example of Aberdeenshire Council's approach to planning for future experience as it is a newly built secondary school on a green field site.
Bidders were given a specification for a school for 940 pupils. They were also told what additional teaching accommodation would be required if the school was extended to accommodate 1200 pupils and asked how they would extend their design in response to this. There was also a local aspiration for a swimming pool to be provided. The council considered that this was not currently a high priority when assessed on sportscotland criteria, nor was it affordable. However, bidders were asked how a swimming pool might be added at a later date. They were also asked to have regard to the possibility of future extensions in relation to common facilities.
Outcome
The successful bidder's design indicated 3 places at which 2 storey extensions could be added to teaching accommodation, which would provide additional teaching spaces immediately adjacent to 8 subject departments. 
Space was left between the PE wing and the sports pitches for a swimming pool. Parking areas are not too close to boundary fences or other features to allow extension.
The architects elected to provide toilets for 1200 pupils at the outset. Clearly this represents a modest cost increase over provision for 940 but, set against the potential cost of adding more toilets at a later date, represents good value for money.
The architects incorporated these features in their design with ease and with minimal cost.
Lessons
Whilst we have adopted this principle in our current project, the constraints of some sites have forced us to question whether to include a requirement for possible future extension. In some cases we have concluded that we would not be able to undertake future extension work but, having looked at the demographic and house building data, are reasonably certain that extension will not be required. Had we thought that extension was likely to be required, our option appraisal would have led us to seek to purchase adjacent land, if available, or to look for a replacement site. 
Contact
Stephen Shaw
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
ABERDEEN
AB16 5GB
Telephone: 01261 813352
Email: stephen.shaw@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
PLANS FOR KINTORE PRIMARY SCHOOL
This project includes a primary school whose capacity is inadequate to cope with the demands of major housing development (600+ houses) in Kintore, Aberdeenshire. The quality of the existing facilities is also poor. The community education centre housed in the school is likewise inadequate for the increased demand. The public library in the town is also too small and has limited opening hours. The Social Work Service has identified a need for a family centre to serve the Kintore Area. There is archaeological interest in the site which was a Roman marching camp.
Outcome
An enlarged primary school with enhanced facilities and upgraded facilities for community education. The joint school and community library provides a larger facility to users than would be the case with two separate libraries. For the same level of staffing, the community benefits from greatly enhanced opening hours. Location of the family centre and library within the school promotes integrated service delivery.
Lessons
Check site issues at an early stage. The project team was unaware of the archaeological significance of the site until application for outline planning consent was made. The planning officer and the council's principal archaeologist have helped to arrange the archaeological investigation timeously, so the project timetable will not be adversely affected.
Contact
Stephen Shaw
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
ABERDEEN
AB16 5GB
Telephone: 01261 813352
Email: stephen.shaw@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
PLANS FOR LAIRHILLOCK PRIMARY SCHOOL
This project involves the rationalisation of two small rural primary schools, with limited facilities and which currently occupy restricted sites, into a new single school. There is major uncertainty about future demand for primary school places. The Local Plan provides for a future allocation of 70 houses whilst the council recently received an application to build 280 houses on this site. The history of applications to build on this site makes it difficult to predict either the timing or scale of development.
Outcome
The outcome will be a single new school whose roll should be sufficient to ensure its long term viability at a time when school rolls are declining quite rapidly. The probable alternative would have been declining rolls leading eventually to closure, with pupils transported to schools in the nearest town. The merger therefore ensures the future of primary school provision in a rural area. The new school is large enough to justify the provision of a full range of facilities, whereas it is difficult to justify facilities such as a gym in small schools (schools with only two or three classes would use a gym for the equivalent of about one day per week). The design is for a five class school capable of extension to eight, which would cope with the largest anticipated future housing development.
Lessons
The lesson is about effective communication of the benefits of the new school, the condition of the existing school facilities and longer term viability. Widespread consultation on the council's overall strategy for the Primary school estate to provide schools fully fit for the 21st century in the context of long-term decline in rolls will be important and contribute to informal discussion of the relative pros and cons that change will bring.
Contact
Stephen Shaw
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
ABERDEEN
AB16 5GB
Telephone: 01261 813352
Email: stephen.shaw@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
PLANS FOR PORTLETHEN ACADEMY
This project includes a secondary school with assessed capacity of 680 and a roll of about 860 which will rise to 950 in 2006. The school currently has 14 temporary classrooms. The town has a Community Education Centre housed in superannuated HORSA huts and temporary units on the site of the primary school. The public library is too small for a town which has experienced considerable growth in recent years, and has limited opening hours. The Social Work Service has identified a need for a Family Centre to serve Portlethen. The community has a clear wish for improved sporting facilities. A dental surgery will be provided for the Health Board.
Outcome
A new school will be provided on the existing site: this offers better value for money than extension and refurbishment as there would be area inefficiencies if the existing building was retained and remodelled. The project will lead to the integrated provision of a range of council and health services. Because accommodation will be shared, the Community Education Service will require far less accommodation than at present. The joint school and community library will provide a larger facility to users than would be the case with two separate libraries. For the same level of staffing, the community will benefit from greatly enhanced opening hours. Location of the Family Centre within the school buildings will promote integrated service delivery. The advice of sportscotland has been sought to ensure the sports facilities specification is suitable for school and community use.
Lessons
- as the needs of prospective service partners will overlap, time is needed to identify levels of room use and identify potential for sharing facilities early in the project
- analysis identified that complete rebuilding offers better value for money than extension and refurbishment: as the existing school is only 16 years old our initial assumption was that it would be retained.
Contact
Stephen Shaw
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
ABERDEEN
AB16 5GB
Telephone: 01261 813352
Email: stephen.shaw@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL FACILITIES ON ONE SITE
Southmuir Primary was based in a stone school building dating back to 1886. The structure and fabric of the building was giving grounds for serious concern. The viability of continuing at that site was in question as five primary classes were housed in old hutted accommodation. The associated nursery accommodation was located over a mile from the school. When the possibility of a replacement building at Southmuir was first considered, the council also took into account the increase in the roll of Webster's High School during the 1990s which had led to it using temporary accommodation which was now in need of replacement. This led to the decision to build a new Southmuir Primary and a small extension to Webster's High.
Southmuir was located adjacent to the existing Webster's High in Kirriemuir, and the opportunity was taken to physically join the new primary to the existing secondary school. The benefits included sharing accommodation and the provision of further secondary science classrooms as part of the 2.8 million primary school development. This enabled the council to take advantage of economies of scale from the new building development and provide facilities on a relatively tight site.
The new Southmuir was designed by the local authority Property Services department in consultation with the Education Department, and the schools procured through a design, develop and build contract. The tendering contractors were invited to submit variant bids to demonstrate their ideas for the layout and construction of the school. The school layout is based on a central gymnasium, with classroom accommodation clustered around in compact form. The link to Webster's High is two-storey with science rooms for the secondary located on the first floor, and primary classrooms at ground floor level. The building is constructed to a high standard, using materials with long life, low maintenance profiles. A number of environmental features are incorporated into the design, including 'sun pipes'. These cylindrical aluminium units allow natural daylight from the roof into internal areas of the building. In addition they can be combined with louvre openings for natural ventilation. 
Outcome
The former primary school was located in diverse and remote units, some at a distance from the main school building. The new primary school building accommodates 12 classrooms, a multi-purpose gym, integrated nursery facilities and direct access to secondary school facilities such as science and dining rooms and to the adjacent sports facilities. The physical connection of the buildings engenders an ethos of being part of an education process that spans seamlessly from nursery through primary to secondary school.
The school accommodation is now geared to the demands of the school roll.
The school is fitted with a Building Management System to monitor and remotely control the use of energy in the building.
Staff, pupils and parents appreciate the improved environment and the opportunity for a smooth transition from nursery and primary to secondary level on one campus.
Lessons
Opportunities to develop new build facilities, such as replacements for existing school accommodation, can lead to mutual benefits through sharing facilities or by achieving economies of scale in development contracts. 
Contact
Colin Mackenzie
Property Services
Angus Council
Angus Music Centre
Montrose Road
FORFAR
DD8 2HT
Telephone: 01307 473954
Email: MackenzieCK@angus.gov.uk
« Previous | Contents | Next »