Southwark Primary School is a new build three form-entry primary school created to replace separate infant and junior schools which were in urgent need of renewal and inadequate in size. It accommodates 750 children, aged 3-11, and also provides a separate wrap around nursery and extended-use community facilities. The school was funded as a pilot project for the Primary Capital Programme, to act as an exemplar of good practice.

The client’s brief had several key drivers; first, the school had to be conducive to ‘transformational’ education practices, with a diverse and agile suite of learning spaces, available to each year group, to foster imaginative learning practices; second, the school needed to be able to be understood as a cohesive whole, without losing a sense of intimate scale; third, the school should lend itself to wider community use; and fourth, a strong connection between interior and exterior learning spaces should be established.

To support imaginative learning, Southwark provides each year group with a diverse set of learning spaces. Classrooms are arrayed around a large hub space and small groups have the use of separate group rooms or play spaces. Children learn and play in a wide diversity of internal and external environments, including; large hub spaces, adventure playgrounds, a theatre style main hall; and a ‘sky rocket’, a retreat zone providing specialist support within a peaceful inspirational setting looking over the green rooftops and courtyard space.

Environmental sustainability is a core feature utilising natural ventilation, biomass boilers, rain water harvesting and a kitchen garden. It is also a WRAP exemplar project.