Evelyn Street Primary School

The Edwardian buildings of Evelyn Street Primary School had suffered over the years from a lack of significant financial investment and maintenance, and ongoing repair work was having disruptive impact on classes. Coupled with this, the popularity of the school and a rise in birth rates meant that demand for places had increased, calling for the school to undergo a significant expansion.

Buttress was appointed by the Local Education Partnership to undertake an initial masterplan study to determine how the school could increase from a single form entry to two form entry school. A phased solution was agreed to allow for a one and a half form entry solution so that school places could be increased to meet demand within a relatively short time frame.

Plans for an extension were developed that would accommodate a further 105 pupils, making the school a one and a half form entry, with the potential to increase to two forms.

In order to create extra space for pupils, as well as a space that could be used at once by the whole school, it was clear a new school hall was required. Prior to the development, the school had two halls that were located separately and on different floors so could not be used as one space.

The solution was the creation of a U-shaped extension that created a new courtyard space between existing and new buildings with two wings of accommodation eventually connecting into the existing school’s primary circulation.

The single-storey extension houses teaching accommodation for the reception classes, a new main hall as well as space for a nursery.