PRIMARY RESEARCH

OBSERVATIONS

Please note: The primary research has been conducted at special needs schools, which are outlined in the password protected 'School Identification' sub-page underneath Appendix. For the purpose of this Primary Research tab they will be referred to as 'School A', 'School B' etc.

Observations

Interview

Case Studies

Observations

Interviews

Questionnaires

Case Studies

Questionnaires

Current school faults

Developed electronic survey

'School A'

'School B'

- Photographs taken of most areas of the school: Atrium,

hydrotherapy pool, massage room, cool down room (large

swing), medical room, changing rooms (adjacent to two

classrooms), life skills, allotments, library, outdoor play areas,

mobile classrooms, light room and indoor soft play area

- Second school is currently being built because the existing

school has expanded and needs more space

- Spent my mornings with Class 2, where every activity included

sensory actions and lasted for approximately 30 mins before

the children returned to free play

- One afternoon was spent with the most able class in the

school, where some were able to chat to me about what they

liked about the school

- Loved the outdoors, trips, gardening and the library

- Also enjoyed growing their own food in the allotments

- Another afternoon was spent with the Class 1, where you

encouraged interaction through play

- If you were able to ensure a child focused on one activity for a

short period of time, then you had achieved something

- Many of the children will never be able to read and write, but if

you can hold their attention or eye contact for a few minutes

then you have base to build on

- Many of the children's parents prefer you to work on personal/

social skills than curriculum skills

- Often the school run classes for the older children based on

personal hygiene, such as washing hair, applying deodrant etc

- Life skills classes focus on cooking basic meals and snacks

- Each class had 8/9 children, with on teacher and a minimum of

two teaching assistants

- Some children require a 1 to 1 assistant for constant attention

- Children in class 1/2 require gastrofeed, oxygen tanks/tubes,

frequent medical attention and one girl self-harmed

- Outdoor play equipment was all adapted to allow disabled

access, e.g a play swing and roundabout for wheelchair users

- Locks on all doors/gates within the basic layout

- One of the largest hydrotherapy pools in the UK, with a specially

trained lifeguard present all day

- Multiple hoists in all changing rooms and pool areas

- Photographs could not be taken at this school

- Smaller education provider than School A

- Caters for children with profound and multiple learning

difficulties (PMLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD), and

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

- Generally more able children than School A

- 1960s school

- Extremely small classrooms and corridors

- The school has had numerous extensions but all classes are

currently full to capacity

- Doors are being widened this year to accommodate modern

wheelchairs and walking aids

- Layout of whole school is square shaped with a small outdoor

square in the centre, currently used for rabbits and allotments

- 7 children per class

- Helped with three classes, class 1 apples, class 2 Pears (Upper

key stage 2) and Mangoes (Lower key stage 2)

- Mangoes had 9 children in the class, so required more assistants

and they were in the smallest classroom

- School have had to adapt the layout and classrooms for the

necessary needs

- Shared outdoor spaces and small individual outside areas for

certain classrooms

- Many children attend the afterschool clubs

- In the apples class I encouraged interaction through play, spent

time outside and worked on counting skills

- Break duty with half the school involved playing outside on

scooters and outdoor equipment

- In the pears class I worked on literacy skills and read stories

- Lunch time feeding duty with half the school, included feeding

children with difficulties

- Mangoes had a hydrotherapy session, so I supervised poolside

and in the changing rooms

Every single child is different and has very different needs, it is about understanding these and helping the children access what they can either through symbols or speech.

'School A'

'School B'

Indoor soft play area	Outdoor area Separates upper and lower school
Upper school building	Adapted roundabout
Outdoor play area	Adapted swing
Allotments	In-ground trampoline
Hydrotherapy pool	Pool changing rooms
Atrium	Changing rooms

Sketch plan to show layout of School B

INTERVIEW

Completed at: 'School A'

An extension to School A has been granted at a separate site, located nearby. Work at the new school began in October 2014, and is aiming to be completed by September 2015, ready for the next academic year. The Head teacher has been a main influence in the design process and has used the faults experienced by staff and pupils to influence the new school design.

New school adaptations

- Main atrium shape is not a good design

(Square shaped with pillars throughout cause's problems

for numerous wheelchairs espeically at the end of the day

when everyone congregates in this area to wait for

transport)

- Upper school atrium shape works much better

(This is rectangular however as the school has expanded

this area has been used for excessive storage)

- Numerous corridors

(Some are only just wide enough to fit two large

wheelchairs past each other, with some careful

manoeuvring)

- Parking is a massive issue

(The morning drop off and afternoon pick up is a

nightmare. Currently the transport forms a queue around a

square car park, following each other up to the front door

to drop off before making their way out of the car park)

- Large silver push buttons to enter classrooms

(Originally these were agreed as the best option for easy

access, however children started to learn to open doors)

- Sinks

(Sinks that rise and fall with a lever, however noone

anticipated children to see these levers and use them)

- Small, dark hall

New build has been based on the rectangular shape -

(All classrooms and rooms lead straight off from the atrium

area)

Minimised use of corridors -

Flow of the car park is the main focus -

(Current plans show spaces for minibuses, large taxis,

parent's cars and staff spaces with plenty of space to

manoeuvre past each other)

Fob entry -

(Fobs needed for entry to every room, and every member of

staff is required to carry this fob on their persons at all

times)

Double heighted community space and dining hall -

(Open this area up and make it much lighter, becoming the main focus of the school as an area that all children can

come together)

Head teacher can appreciate the design/aesthetic of some of these elements but the function and practicality is poor.

New school design

New build will have two floors, so fire strategies have been a main focus as parents/carers voiced concerns with lift issues.

Ground floor will contain the majority of classrooms in order to minimise the lift usage. All classrooms will remain accessible to the outdoor play areas, as these are currently successful in the existing school.

First floor will contain rooms that are used less frequently, such as the music room and life skills room etc. Staff room and meeting rooms will also be on the first floor as members of staff can use the stairs. There will be a roof terrace on this floor, functioning as a cool down space when necessary, because you don't want to be taking difficult children in to the lift or attempt to get them down the stairs. The Head teacher envisages a design based on a squash court, with soft walls and without a roof.

Main focus of the new school is to have open classroom spaces with no permanent features. It is all about the layout and accessibility.

Everything within the new school will be based on the senses and will be sensory for the children.

QUESTIONNAIRES

Initial hard-copy questionnaires were completed at 'School A' during my visits, however I then developed this questionnaire in to a more direct, electronic survey. This was then emailed out to special schools in Lincolnshire, which are listed on the 'School Identification' tab, underneath Appendix, and likewise located in plan format underneath 'Site and Context'.

Questionnaire F

Questionnaire A

Questionnaire D

Questionnaire E

Questionnaire B

Questionnaire C

Respondent 1

Respondent 2

Respondent 3

CASE STUDIES

A: The requirement to provide an ordered and comprehensible spatial structure

B: The requirement to provide a mix of large and small spaces

C: The requirement to provide greater control of the environmental conditions to the user

D: The requirement to accommodate different, 'autism specific' teaching methods

E: The need to balance security and independence

F: The need to provide simple and reduced detailing

G: The requirement for the end-user to be actively involved in the brief building and design process

H: Appropriate use of technology to aid the autistic learning experience

I: Appropriate technical specification

2

Iain Scott sets out key criteria when designing learning environments for children on the autism spectrum. He looks at four newly created units and schools, of which the Mossbrook model is an exemplar.

"Architects should be striving to be constantly innovative. The opportunity exists to create designs which rather than the provision of a neutral container provide 'environments for learning'." (Scott, 2009, p. 40)

3

1 Mossbrook Special Primary School, Norton, Sheffield

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 7.1

The unit consists of sciene classrooms (Fig 8), with three smaller 'resource rooms'. The other principle space is a ball pool (Fig 7). These spaces are separated by a hallway.

The unit does not have to deal with the complexity of a multiple class teaching base, however the structure is still simple and legible.

The three individualised resource rooms are very different in character to the main space and are top lit (Fig 9). They are situated on

the North wall of the

building.

Allow children to receive individual or small group teaching, focusing on specific demonstrations. They also allow children to study quietly, away from the remainder of the class.

All windows have internal blinds, that can completely black out all light sources for audio visual presentations. The lighting in the resource rooms are more subdued than in the main space, so that children can retreat to a darker space.

The architects attempted to create an environment that reflected the way these children operate and experience the world. They teach science through practical application to learning. The building was in itself a learning tool, and the elements have integrated with the environment (Fig 10).

Figure 7.2

The building utilises different materials, allowing the children to learn about them at close hand. It has metal walls, which are reflective and get hot and cold, it also has timber externally, which evolves over time. Polycarbonate sheeting provides an experience of translucency from both inside and out. There is also a 'living wall' to the north side, where the sensory garden is located.

They wanted to create a

balance with something

that could be 'outward

orientated' and engage

the world beyond the

classroom, whilst at the

same time making the

children feel secure.

The building forms a

natural gateway to a nature conservation area (Fig 11). The teaching space overlooks this area, which

enables the children to experience the natural habitat of plants and animals. The teaching space also has framed views of the meadow, picture windows and a balcony facing the pond. Additionally there are plasma screens, which show an enhanced view of things, as cameras are mounted on and around the building.

Section D covers different materials. The three resource rooms are rendered in different colours to reflect different qualities. This ensures the children can access a variety of environmentally different spaces depending on their mood. The building is detailed in a simple fashion, allowing the natural qualities of the materials to take precedence.

The building design evolved through a dialogue and consultation with staff and pupils. The Head teacher and Head of science were intensively involved in the development of the design and in the proposal. The University of Sheffield students carried out interactive work with the pupils, who built models and did extensive drawings illustrating what they wanted from their environment.

Figure 7.4

The architects, children, and teaching staff collaborated with artist Susan Collins to develop ways of incorporating technology into the teaching space. Webcams are located in the conservation area, which record the movements of wildlife and transmit images onto plasma screens located inside the classroom. The boat in the pond is fitted with an underwater camera, which can be controlled by the children in the classroom.

Finishes and furniture are typically hardwearing. The flooring material is a heavy duty vinyl. A removable panel in the floor provides a view of the building's systems to allow children a greater understanding of the workings of their environment.

Baytree Community Special School, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset

Hollywater School, Bordon, Hampshire

Along with my own two personal case studies, I have researched a further three exemplar case studies through secondary sources.

Type

Date completed

Context

Site

Building design

Environmental design

Access and circulation

Community special school for children and young people with severe learning disabilities (SLD) and profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD).

2004

Built as an integrated part of The Campus, incorporating Herons Moor Primary School and community facilities including a library, Council one-stop-shop and adult education rooms.

The external space is designed to allow easy access by the children as well as the community. The building has two main entrances - one for community facilities and one for school use. The roof over-sails a long entrance wall to give a sheltered drop-off for the eight specially equipped mini-buses that bring the children.

Outside there are multi-games areas, a skate park, bike track, nature garden and playing fields.

Figure 8

Vision that 'a school should be a community building that just happens to be used for education'
Facilities are designed to maximise shared use by the school children and the wider community
Shared areas link between the special school, primary school and the community facilities in a way that allows the school and community facilities to expand and contract according to the time of day/week
Building is conceived as three related wings of accommodation
Top-lit open plan dining hall lies at the heart of the building and can be shared
Dining hall is a flexible space with moveable walls
Halls and hydrotherapy pool are positioned for easy access for others visiting the school
The different areas of the school are zoned in a way that retains security and privacy for school pupils
Facilities also include a soft play room and light therapy areas

Design is focused on natural light and ventilation, making the environment conducive to learning
Two-storey high roof envelope is engineered to allow north light and fresh air to penetrate the spaces below
Reflective shafts allow light penetration to the back of the lower level classrooms
All classroom windows face south, with projecting canopies and louvres that help control summer sun and allow some free heat from low level winter sun

Context

Site

Date completed

Type

2006

Community special school for pupils with complex learning difficulties

The new buildings were positioned to make the greatest use of the site, and form a close relationship with the landscape. The general teaching classrooms at the southern edge have views over farmland, shaded by mature oak trees. The mature boundary landscaping and the new building enclose an external play area divided into hard surfaced and grassed play areas, with a fully accessible adventure playground and sensory gardens.

Two special schools were amalgamated

There is a long drop-off zone for buses and taxis, with a canopy sheltering the entrance. Automatic sliding doors lead via a lobby to a welcoming reception which overlooks the approach. Circulation spaces are well proportioned and routes simple: the building forms a 'T' shape and there are no interrupting fire doors.

Figure 9

Reception

Figure 9.1

Figure 9.2

Secondary art room

Library looking towards main entrance

Environmental design

Building design

Divided into two main blocks, linked by the learning resource area
The main entrance block contains the community accessible part of the school, with a hydrotherapy pool, main hall, therapy rooms, including soft play and multi-sensory rooms
The other block has the teaching spaces, where modules of four groups of classrooms are grouped around a top-light space, supported by shared small rooms and toilet and changing facilities
The design gives a sense of progression from early years and primary at one end through secondary to a significantly different and separate post-16 base at the other
There are dedicated support spaces for children with PMLD in both primary and secondary
Colours have been carefully chosen to create a calming atmosphere, and are used to distinguish different facilities and ages groups (warmer, softer colours for reception and infant age children and cooler, more restrained colours for secondary and post-16)

Sustainable approach was adopted to maximise natural lighting and ventilation, energy efficiency and links to an attractive landscape
High insulation levels and an airtight building, coupled with surfaces that radiate warmth, help to enhance the quality of life for the children who are less active
The walls and floors of the building are traditionally heavy-weight construction, using blocks containing recycled aggregate to provide a high thermal mass for temperature consistency
All classroom roofs are insulated using recycled newspaper, light fittings are low energy, and acoustic measures further enhance the learning environment
Every classroom has interactive whiteboards, integral sound-field systems and low glare light fittings (to reduce direct glare to sensitive eyes)

(Scott, 2009, p 47-50)

(Education Funding Agency, 2014, p 180-1)

(Education Funding Agency, 2014, p 172-5)

Figure 7.3

Figure 9.3