Oakley Vale Primary School
Opened September 2008
School Design
The school is a single storey building for the provision of a 420 place Primary School for pupil's age four to eleven located in Oakley Vale, a development area on the edge of Corby.
The plan works by grouping the various functions of the school together in blocks. The blocks are laid informally across the contours of the site with the Learning and Resource Centre placed at the heart of the school. The roof is perceived as single folded plane; overhangs provide shelter and folds and cuts permit daylight to enter the corridors and classrooms. The design places the Schools Community Room and Administration together in a single block facing Cheltenham Close. Once through the school gates on Cheltenham Close visitors approach the administration block via a semi public landscaped space in front of the school.
Community
The school was designed to enhance the role of the school as a community learning centre and resource. The location of semi "public" spaces such as the hall, studio, parents/community room and associated toilet needs are positioned to the front of the school for easy access but also provides security and separation.
The general public and parents will use the community room and is accessed via the semi public space in front of the building. The community room is connected to the school via an internal door controlled by the administration staff. The room will contain a kitchenette, store, wc and a web based information point.
Learning Resource Centre
The learning resource centre is at the heart of the school. The learning resource centre is divided into three circular areas each providing either formal, informal learning environments. The areas are linked by a zigzagging bookshelf.
A geodesic structure at one end encloses part of the library area providing a quite zone for formal learning. The other two areas are flexible and open plan containing ICT and informal seating.
Teaching Spaces
The school has been designed around a year base structure, with two classes for each year group. The teaching spaces break down into Reception Year, Key Stage 1 (years 1 and 2) ages 5 to7 (Infant), Key Stage 2 (years 3,4 and 5) ages 7 to 11 (Junior). The Reception Unit (60 pupils) is self-contained within the school but also closely linked with key stage1. The reception unit has been designed as one large open plan teaching area of 126m2, sliding partition walls allow the space to be divided into two classrooms both with doors to the external teaching areas.
The roof canopy cantilevers beyond the building to provide a covered external play space near the front of the school. A fence and an existing 3m high hedge protect the play space. Key stage 1 (120 pupils) consists of four classrooms. The classrooms are grouped together in pairs. A toilet pod and practical area separates the pairs of classrooms. A sliding partition wall separates the practical areas.
Materials and Form
The exterior of the building has been designed to refer to the scale surrounding buildings but also be a distinctive and striking addition to the neighbourhood. In addition the design refl ects the needs of a modern new school. Generally the exterior of the school consists close-boarded timber, glass and metal cladding. At the main and secondary entrance areas. The roof is perceived as single folded plane. At the start or end of the roof plane the roof folds down to touch the ground.
The external walls to the classrooms are clad in timber with timber/aluminium composite windows, the layout of the windows are designed to maximize daylight while the roof overhangs provide solar shading. The front elevation includes a display wall on the external studio wall. Different sized windows display children’s art to the outside. The display wall will be a colour applied to rendered wall and will be a main feature of the front entrance.
Source: Ellis Williams Architects