Many think of BSF as a new build scheme but at Elm Court School in Lambeth they have moved from an old building to an even older one. Here Sally McKeown explores how they created a 21st century learning environment in an Edwardian building and made it work for pupils with special needs.

'Constructive conservation: the Edwardian building at the heart of the school is the old Lambeth Institute. Now it is the heart of the new Elm Court School, providing 21st century learning environment for 100 secondary-age children with special needs.

English Heritage calls it "constructive conservation", but the rest of the population might describe it as a revamp or even as a make-over. What it means in practice is updating an old building, and marrying the best of its original features with new technology and modern building materials.

Under Building Schools for the Future, some 35 per cent of schools in the scheme will be remodelled and a further 15 per cent will be brought up to scratch through repairs and maintenance, new decorations and new furniture, fixtures and fittings.

There are financial and environmental benefits to using existing buildings, but there is a risk that such projects can focus more on what happens to the fabric of the building, rather than on educational change. There is also a danger that school communities may feel let down if they are not chosen for a new build and see themselves as second class citizens.

Proud pedigree

However, Elm Court in Lambeth, London, avoided these pitfalls. The school has a proud pedigree. Not only is it a well established special school, more than 50 years old, but its "new" premises are a local landmark. The Edwardian building at the heart of the school is the old Lambeth Institute and in another incarnation it was also the Strand Grammar School.

Elm Court School was the fourth BSF school to be built in Lambeth and caters for approximately 100 secondary age pupils.  Many have challenging behaviour as well as needs ranging from autism to communication issues. The building, designed by JM Architects and built by Apollo Education, won Best Design for a Remodelled Building at the 2009 Excellence in BSF awards.

Bill Hutcheson steered Elm Court School through the BSF process as head teacher. He was a fan of the building from the beginning: “It had a sense of purpose, a history and a community focus.”

However, it is no easy task to transform such an old building into something fit for 21st century education. Edwardian buildings were designed for traditional classes with desk-based lessons where pupils all faced the front, whereas modern learning requires a mix of spaces and settings.

Nevertheless, older buildings had a lot of advantages too. They sometimes had more generous spaces, a bigger ‘footprint’, as land was not at such a premium and generally catered for larger classes. On the other hand, old schools – and special schools are particularly guilty of this – often evolved in piecemeal fashion and this can influence access and circulation. The old Lambeth Institute had split levels in parts of the building and one of the structural challenges was to get rid of these and make better use of the space available. It was also important to make it a more accessible environment so they put in ramps, widened some of the doorways, provided lifts on each floor and improved the through access.

Let there be light

Edwardian schools tended to be dark compared to modern buildings. The design and construction team worked hard to introduce more light by changing the old school hall into an atrium at the heart of the building.  This enhanced the openness of the building and created a central space for meeting and mingling. They introduced new glass panelled stairways which did away with dark corners.

Bill Hutcheson particularly liked this development: “The school is now light and airy with plenty of space. There are also good sight lines which are important in a special school. Staff need to be clear about what is happening all the time and pupils need to be kept safe but not feel that they are constantly under the spotlight.”

Elm Court pupils were used to multi purpose spaces with the hall doubling as a gym but this school has purpose built sports facilities with a viewing area, a multi-use games area and courts for netball and basketball. These facilities were also designed to be shared by the local community, ensuring the building is put to maximum use. There are new buildings for sport, music, and drama with an outside amphitheatre providing an unusual performance space.

Part of the remit for all BSF schools is to improve energy efficiency. The existing building had certain advantages. The thick brick walls stored and regulated heat, making sure it stayed warm in the winter and was cooler in the summer. What it did need was replacement windows.  Double glazing had not yet been invented when the Lambeth Institute was built and so much energy is lost through badly fitting windows. Like many older schools, it had good daylight and reasonable natural ventilation. Now it also has a building management system which ensures that when the temperature reaches a certain level, the ventilation opens at the top of the atrium to let the warm air out and let in fresh air. This helps to ensure that it is a healthy building.

Another challenge for the builders was the bats. They had taken up residence in the old school building and work was suspended until they had finished hibernating. Once they woke up, a team of ecologists helped them relocate to more suitable areas and fitted bat boxes in the new roof area. Bats are a protected species but they can have a dramatic effect on the construction process: Elm Court School was delivered a little later than expected and at extra cost.

But despite having to overcome many challenges, the school has won its share of accolades. As well as winning the Excellence in BSF award, the building has also been identified by English Heritage as an example of good practice in the refurbishment of historic buildings. Baroness Andrews, chair of English Heritage, said: “Inspirational surroundings can have a hugely enriching effect on education. And as we are recognising through more research, many historic school buildings are beautifully designed and were built to last; some reflect changes in educational practice and have historical significance too, and many are landmark buildings which mean so much to local communities.”

This is echoed by Bill Hutcheson: “The architects made it a place which surpassed our expectations. It is good to know you don’t have to knock down the old to build the new. You can make it work. The new school is an important historical building steeped in education, which has been adapted specifically to our needs.”

Lessons from Elm Court

• Hold regular management team meetings to deal with problems as and when they arise.
• Make sure you hold community meetings to keep your neighbours up to speed.
• Involve the planners, builders and architects in the life of the old school too. Invite them to seasonal events, pupil award evenings.
• Go for low maintenance materials. Ideally they will be easy to clean and keep their good looks despite heavy usage.
• Make the most of any natural light.
• Make sure you observe the regulations governing protected wildlife. Remember the bats!

Sally McKeown is a freelance writer and is an expert in special needs and inclusion