Schools

www.nicholashare.co.uk

3 Barnsbury Square London N1 1JL Telephone 020 7619 1670 Fax 020 7619 1671 Nicholas Hare Architects was formed in 1977. The practice became a Limited Liability Partnership in 2004. At present we are 73 people, 62 of whom are architects, handling a wide range of projects. Most of our commissions have come through recommendations from previous clients, though the practice’s reputation has been enhanced by success in architectural competitions for public buildings.

The strength of the practice stems from its combination of en- ergy and inventiveness with a professional sense of responsibility to clients. The commitment to excellence and thoroughness in design is matched by the importance attached to the efficient and cost-conscious running of contracts: we have a wide experience of working with traditional forms of contract as well as with management contracts, construction management and 2-stage collaborative contracts.

We have a history of achieving good value for our clients, through attention to detail and the pursuit of good quality and low maintenance, particularly in the building envelope: many of the buildings designed by the practice have cost much less than their quality would suggest.

Our service responds to the needs of clients, ranging from complete building projects including project management to strategic planning and consultancy. Our record of satisfied cli- ents and second and third commissions is testimony to the care devoted to understanding and responding to the real needs of our clients, as well as producing buildings which give pleasure to those who use them.

Schools August 2011 2 Haybridge High School, Hagley, Worcestershire Over 30 years NHA has built a balanced portfolio of projects, Primary schools Ifield Community College, West Sussex but the most consistent thread is of buildings for education. Chafford Hundred Campus, Thurrock (integrates nursery, primary, James Hornsby High School, Our work includes schools, colleges, universities and specialist secondary, sixth form and adult education) medical education centres. In particular, we have excellent Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College, Birmingham Coldfall Primary School, Haringey experience of secondary school design both for mainstream and Kettering Buccleuch Academy, Northamptonshire Coleridge Primary School, Haringey SEN schools. Kettering Science Academy, Northamptonshire Golden Lane Campus, Islington (integrates a primary school, an King Edward’s School, Witley (masterplan) In 2009/10 NHA was named Best School Architect and SEN school and children’s centre) Kingsley High School, Harrow (SEN) received awards for Inspiring Design (for Golden Lane Campus, Parkside and Meadows School, Bromsgrove (first & middle schools) Lees Brook Community Sports College, Derby London) and Best School Extension (for Coleridge Primary Sidemoor First School, Bromsgrove School, London) at the BCSE awards (British Council for School Noel-Baker Community School, Derby Woodlands School, Harrow (SEN) Environments) Coleridge Primary School also won a prestigous North Birmingham Academy, West Midlands Civic Trust Award in 2010. NHA won ‘Best Design for a New North Bromsgrove High School, Worcestershire School’ at the Excellence in BSF Awards (for Park Hall School in Secondary schools Ormiston Academy, Birmingham Solihull), and the Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award Alexandra Park School, Haringey Park Hall School, Solihull (for Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham). All Saints Academy, Cheltenham St Paul’s School, London (redevelopment) Bancroft’s School, Essex (dining, sixth form centre and sports hall) The following pages list our relevant school and college projects Strood Academy, Medway Benenden School, Kent (sixth form houses) Bristol Cathedral Choir and illustrate some of them. Thomas Bennett Community College, West Sussex (including The Bishop of Rochester Academy, Medway Academy, Bristol new theatre) Brompton Academy, Medway City Council Woodlands School, Essex Castle View School, Essex Chafford Hundred Campus, Thurrock (through school) Cornelius Vermuyden School and Art College, Essex Crown Woods School, Greenwich Dormers Wells High School, Ealing East Blackburn Learning Community, Lancashire (with facilities for those with Moderate Learning Difficulties) Gresham’s School, Norfolk (new boarding house)

Schools August 2011 3 Alexandra Park School London Borough of Haringey

Alexandra Park School opened a sixth form in September 2004. The new buildings designed by NHA also include science laboratories, music, art and DT departments.

These incorporate the new regulations on thermal and acoustic performance, as well as a number of technologies to achieve low energy consumption.

Schools August 2011 4 All Saints Academy Cheltenham

All Saints’ Academy is a new three storey building in west Cheltenham, providing secondary education for 900 pupils and 200 sixth formers. The heart of the building is the entrance atrium dominated by the copper clad chapel and highly visible on approaching the building across the landscaped piazza.

Galleries run alongside the atrium leading directly to three radiating Learning Wings providing the majority of classroom accommodation. Located at the northern end of the galleries is the assembly hall, and music rooms above, with the dining area and catering spaces occupying the ground floor at the southern end. Above these at first floor level is the 4-court sports hall, gym and dance studios. Many of the spaces will be available for community use.

Externally, the areas around the building provide many opportu- nities that encourage outdoor learning.

The Academy opened to students in September and the official ribbon was cut by Olympic champion Steve Redgrave on 1 November 2011.

Schools August 2011 5 Bancroft’s School Woodford Green, Essex

Bancroft’s School is a Grade 2 listed building located on the edge of Epping Forest. NHA’s com- mission included preparation of a masterplan to establish a framework for future phased expansion and refurbishment of the school’s facilities.

The first phase of development extended the existing language of courtyards and provided kitchen and dining facilities, as well as classrooms and a sixth-form centre. The second phase consisted of a new sports hall beside the playing fields.

Schools August 2011 6 Schools August 2011 7 Bristol Cathedral Choir Academy

Bristol Cathedral School, the city’s oldest school, moved from the independent sector to become an Academy in September 2008 - Bristol Cathedral Choir School (BCCS). Since then the school has expanded and the student population almost doubled. The broad brief was to respond to the developed curriculum model which supports the school’s specialisms of music and mathematics.

BCCS is uniquely positioned in the historic centre of Bristol. It has awide range of accommodation on site, from medieval ecclesiastical buildings integral to the Cathedral, to a recently constructed school and office building around College Square.

“The development will provide a sense of space that is truly rare in city centre schools.” Principal Neil Blundell

Schools August 2011 8 Chafford Hundred Campus Thurrock Council

This project is a forward-looking scheme promoted by Thurrock Council. One integrated building embraces nursery, primary and secondary schools, and a public library. This community project provides learning facilities for all ages including adults.

In 2003 it received the Civic Trust’s Centre Vision Award for “the project which contributed most to the revitalisation or regeneration of a community”.

“The building is brilliant - I can’t fault it.” Headteacher Alison Banks

Schools August 2011 9 Bromsgrove PFI Worcestershire County Council

NHA designed three schools within this PFI project with BAM.

Sidemoor First School has become a ‘forest’ school and is located on a new semi-rural site encompassing a small wood- land area. The design enhances the natural features of the site and encourages a close relationship between the formal internal teaching spaces and landscape.

Meadows First School and Parkside Middle School share a single new building to form a through school. The pin-wheel form of the new building allows the schools to share many spaces whilst still retaining their own territories, both within the building and externally.

North Bromsgrove High School adopts an ‘H’ plan on a difficult, sloping site. The new design incorporates the school’s existing Millennium building. The separate new sports facilities are shared by the community.

Schools August 2011 10 Noel-Baker and St Martins Schools Derby BSF

The scheme involves the co-location of Noel-Baker Community School with St Martins Special School for students with learning, behavioural and emotional special needs on the existing Noel- Baker site.

The joint vision was for a building that captured the individual needs and identity of each school whilst still being able to sup- port and enhance the relationship between the two schools.

A central dining atrium and cafe forms the shared heart of the new school. This is a facility for local people too who will also share the extensive sports facilities. The school accommodation is arranged in butterfly shaped clusters which reach out into the landscape and embrace open plan, ICT rich learning plazas within.

An atmosphere of calm purposefulness will prevail in the infor- mal learning areas which will allow the relationships between staff and students to flourish.

Schools August 2011 11 Coldfall Primary School London Borough of Haringey

The project involved the expansion from 2-form to 3-form entry of this successful primary school. Completed in three phases, the works included considerable refurbishment of the existing 1920s building - improving circulation and toilets and providing additional classrooms. New additions consisted of six further classrooms, a new dining hall with kitchen, staff room, nursery and entrance hall.

Backing onto Coldfall Wood, the site was limited both by its partial designation as Metropolitan Open Land and by the contours of the land. The new larch-clad, two-storey classroom wing looks out over a timber play deck into the woods.

The new single-storey nursery and staff room extensions, face each other at a jaunty angle across the nursery playground, while the new entrance hall and school reception re-establish the clarity of the original school’s circulation system.

Schools August 2011 12 Coleridge Primary School London Borough of Haringey

NHA were commissioned in 2006 as part of the expansion project of Coleridge Primary School in north London. The school needed to expand from two to four-form entry. A new site was purchased across the road from the existing school and due to conservation constraints half of the existing buildings were retained. The steeply sloping site was home to the former TUC training centre which was originally the Hornsey School of Art. We worked with the school to develop a design and education strategy so that the two sites, infant and junior, may work together reinforced by a high level of ICT provision.

The design removed later additions to the original school of art and created two new teaching wings, each containing top-lit clusters of four classooms forming a year base. Each classroom has access to outside space either directly or with balconies. The existing building contains the main hall and shared teaching facilities as well as a nursery adjacent to the new reception wing. The proposal was developed to accommodate the slope of the site yet create a completely accessible environment for the children. This extends to the external environment where much of the mature landscape areas retained.

The buildings themselves are constructed of load-bearing ma- sonry to match the existing while being of a distinctly modern form. The classrooms are mechanically ventilated to provide “A model example of a project that makes an out- good air quality and acoustic, adjacent to the busy road and the standing contribution to its community and is accessible, hot water heating system is augmented by the use of a solar inclusive and enjoyed by all.” thermal panels located on the existing roof. 2011 Civic Trust Awards judges

Winner of the 2010 BCSE Award for the Best School Extension, Refurbishment or Remodel and of a 2011 Civic Trust Award.

Schools August 2011 13 Castle View and Cornelius Vermuyden Schools , Essex

Nicholas Hare Architects designed these two sample schools as part of the Essex BSF bid by Skanska RM. The team was appointed preferred bidder in early February and achieved Financial Close at the beginning of May. Both schemes started on site in July 2010.

Cornelius Vermuyden School received a coveted ‘Excellent’ rating by CABE and Castle View School achieved ‘Good’. Both schools are expecting to achieve ‘Excellent’ BREEAM ratings.

Schools August 2011 14 Birmingham Ormiston Academy Birmingham

Birmingham Ormiston Academy is an independent state-funded 14–19 academy specialising in Creative, Digital and Performing Arts. BOA is sponsored by the Ormiston Trust and Birmingham City University and supported by founding partners Maverick TV and the BRIT School who are themselves an existing suc- cessful creative and performing arts school based in Croydon.

The Academy is due to open in Autumn 2011 in a brand-new building designed by Nicholas Hare Architects, located at the hub of the digital and creative industries in the West Midlands. The site is located in the heart of the Eastside Learning Quarter and next to Millennium Point and the proposed City Park.

The Academy will provide superb facilities for academic, vocational and extra-curricular activities, including a theatre, a TV studio, four dance and six drama studios in addition to general teaching classrooms.

BOA will be unique in both its admissions and approach to education and will be one hundred per cent selective based on aptitude within the specialism. The Academy will be at the forefront of the development of the arts and creative industries working in partnership with industry. Although located in the heart of Birmingham, BOA will be a regional Academy admitting students from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region.

Schools August 2011 15 Crown Woods College London Borough of Greenwich

The new secondary school is one of five schools in the first wave of the Greenwich BSF programme. The 9-form entry school is organised in three colleges or ‘schools within a school’ with 450 pupils each. In addition there is a post-16 college, again with 450 students.

The design has 9 pavilion buildings linked by external covered walkways. The chequerboard arrangement of the buildings on this generous site creates strongly defined courtyards.

Schools August 2011 16 Felsted Music School Essex

NHA was appointed to design a new music school and a classroom building including offices for the Principal for . The music school stands next to the Dining Hall (also designed by NHA, in 1988), and together the buildings enclose a new landscaped court. The music school incorporates a performance hall with teaching and practice rooms.

The new classroom building has added language and seminar spaces. It also forms a new hard landscaped court beside the existing library.

Schools August 2011 17 Golden Lane Campus London Borough of Islington with CEA Islington

The Golden Lane Campus project involved the relocation and integration of three successful school institutions onto a single, complex site in Islington, at the edge of the City of London, to create a larger innovative and inclusive environment for children and the wider community.

The Campus brought together Prior Weston Primary School, Fortune Park Surestart Children’s Centre for birth to six year olds, and Richard Cloudesley School for children with physical disabilities.

Lying on a former burial ground between the Barbican Arts Centre, the Golden Lane estate and Fortune Street Park, the site has a strong planning and archaeological legacy in an area of clear physical and social diversity.

The design sets out to create a sense of connection and acces- sibility for all the various groups and users of the building, whilst offering protected and secure environments for those who need them.

Winner of the BCSE Industry Award 2009 for Inspiring Design.

“Hats off to the architect who took a difficult brief and turned it into an all-round success!” Anne Corbett, Headteacher Richard Cloudesley School

Schools August 2011 18 Haybridge High School Worcestershire County Council

Enlargement of this highly successful school to accommodate two new year groups and a new sixth form centre has involved significant re-organisation of the site. Demolition of some exist- ing accommodation has allowed a clear hierarchy of external space to be created. The new buildings provide facilities for teaching an administration, along with a new IT centre, library, dining hall and assembly hall. The project was used as a pilot study for the new Schools Environmental Assessment Method, and opened in February 2008.

“Just as the striking new buildings blend contemporary design with practicality, the ethos is a very successful mix of innovation and traditional values, personalisation and collaboration, open enjoyment and high achievement.”

Ofsted 2008

Schools August 2011 19 Dormers Wells High School Ealing BSF

The Dormers Wells High School project will rebuild an enlarged secondary school and sixth form for 1350 students as part of Wave 5 of the BSF programme.

Situated in a challenging backland site, the new building has the challenge of providing civic presence and a welcoming environ- ment for a school at the heart of its community, whilst being sensitive to its domestic context. The design solution has been recognised by CABE, who have given it the rarely awarded top rating of ‘Very Good’.

The new school has a calm and organic ethos and is clearly organised around a rich variety of external spaces. The naturally ventilated building will emit less than 27kg/m2 per annum, contain 450m2 of photovoltaic arrays and has been provisionally designed to BREEAM Excellent.

Schools August 2011 20 Thomas Bennett Community College West Sussex County Council

Thomas Bennett is the second of two community colleges with the Crawley PFI. Its primary accommodation is ranged around an open courtyard whose southern boundary is defined by a line of mature oak trees. Colonnades protect pupils moving around the courtyard which is overlooked by the large first floor library.

In addition, the new building provides a Studio Theatre to supplement the existing drama teaching facilities, and a Special Support Centre (SSC) for pupils of TBCC.

Schools August 2011 21 Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College Birmingham

The project involved the relocation of an enlarged college to a new site provided by Birmingham City Council. In addition to academic space, there is a new community sports facility as well as an LRC, performing arts facilities, cafe and social spaces.

The students and staff come from a rich variety of ethnic groups which has required a good understanding of the religious and cultural requirements of the client body.

The building was completed in July 2008 and in 2009 won a RIBA Award, the RIBA/LSC Further Education Building Design Excellence Award and the British Construction Industry: Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award.

Schools August 2011 22 ‘It has been a joy to watch the response of our students, speechless for once, as they explore the spaces, protected by the handsome crescent and courtyard design.’ Lynne Morris, College Principal

Schools August 2011 23 Kettering Science Academy Northamptonshire

Nicholas Hare Architects have designed two new academies in the £55 million Northamptonshire County Council academies programme with Willmott Dixon. The Kettering Science Academy has started on site. It is sponsored by Brooke Weston Academy Trust and features a grand circular courtyard at its heart.

The new building will replace the existing secondary phase of the Academy, accommodating 1350 pupils, and will incorporate many innovative energy-saving measures such as the use of ground-source heat pumps, the delivery of tempered air to the classrooms via Termodeck planks and the use of swales in the landscape to aid water attenuation. Art installations within the building and outside in the landscape will further demonstrate the Science specialism of the Academy, while improvements to the sports facilities will increase the scope for community use.

Schools August 2011 24 St Paul’s School Barnes, London

St Paul’s is an internationally renowned independent secondary school for boys. Colet Court is a junior school that shares the same site and a collective identity with St Paul’s. The project involves the phased replacement and refurbishment of almost all the school’s buildings. They enjoy a prominent site on the south bank of the Thames, within the borough of Richmond, on the Barnes penisula.

The first phase of the redevelopment will provide a new science building, facing into the central courtyard of St Paul’s, supported by extensive infrastructure work. The new building - on the right in the image - will also create a new entrance into the school. Later phases will provide a new drama centre and new general teaching buildings for both St Paul’s and Colet Court.

The science building is now on site and is due for completion at the end of 2012.

Schools August 2011 25 Park Hall Academy Solihull, West Midlands

The new school was funded through PFI and is designed for 1400 pupils including the sixth form. Its open courtyards were designed to capitalise on the outstanding views from the site and offer a range of external spaces for the various age groups.

The main communal activities are arranged along an angled spine which produces clear and interesting spatial relationships, strengthening the sense of identity and helping orientation.

The school was designed for long term flexibility which was tested when the educational brief changed radically not long before the project started on site.

The new school opened its doors to students on schedule on 10th November 2008.

The project won the award for Best Design for a New School at the Excellence in BSF Awards 2009.

“The new buildings have had a huge impact on students’ learning and the new school gives the community a 21st century facility that is something to be very proud of. “ Tony Morrison, Principal

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