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Building schools for the future

Sowerby Bridge High School

Sowerby Bridge High School was extremely well defined by its existing boundaries, with perimeter fences and walls in generally good condition.  The steepness of the topography means that vehicle access is available only from Albert Road, which forms the south western boundary of the site.

The intention was to provide a new focus to the school by constructing the new accommodation in the northern area of the site linking into the existing '2000 building' and ICT suite.  The remainder of the existing building stock was demolished upon completion of the new school buildings.  This allowed a smooth transition from old to new for the school with the minimum of disruption during the construction period, as the need for decanting accommodation was removed.  Fire alarms and security systems have been fully integrated between the new and existing buildings.

The new school is accessed by pupils from Albert Road using a separate pedestrian entrance that leads into a double height internal street space, set back from the road.  The internal street provides a supervised sheltered communal area leading directly into the heart of the new school, with the mezzanine library, double height performance space, pastoral offices, technology, music, drama spaces and PE facilities on this level.  The internal street also provides links to the retained '2000 building' and ICT suite through the use of strategically positioned staircases and lifts.  The new design has allowed a clearer lower layout to emerge with the classrooms positioned along the external facades and ancillary spaces grouped within a central core.  The location of each teaching group has been planned to reflect the wishes of the school, with the library and the sixth form facilities at the heart of the school and the science faculty on a single floor level.

The main visitor entrance into the site remains at the level of the '2000 building', but is linked into the new school through the new staircase situated adjacent to the existing dining room.  The staff and service entrance is through the existing lower entrance to the school, thus separating pedestrian and vehicular access.  The sports hall is served by a car park providing direct access for third party users out of school ours and acting as an overflow parking facility during school hours.  The positioning of the new school, the tennis courts and the astro turf pitch helps to minimise the impact of the building mass and external works on nearby housing, whilst retaining the prominence of the existing school within the local area.

Extensive soft landscaping around the site, particularly the perimeter, also helps to minimise the impact of the development on the immediate surrounding area whilst providing the school with informal nature/wildlife areas and more defined boundaries and areas of screening along existing 'trouble spot' boundaries.

The intended new four-storey block was treated in a similar architectural fashion to the '2000 building', which effectively compliments the retained building whilst integrating existing and new construction through the creation of the central courtyard as the true heart of the school.

© Image supplied by Aedas

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