Learning

Highland Schools PPP2

Brief

The Highland Schools PPP2 primary schools formed part of a larger ten school project.  Due to a single bidder situation, the PPP bid period was extended to allow extra scrutiny of the bidder's proposals.  The primaries were divided between two building contractors and sought to replace and improve existing school buildings which had become outdated, or no longer responded to the changing needs of pupils and staff.  The schools themselves are in such diverse locations as Portree, Dingwall, Inverness, Cawdor and Kinlochleven.

Response

Our proposal for each school adopted a site specific response to the wide variety of challenges presented by our Client. Provision of out of hours facilities was a key consideration in all areas, particularly where the school forms an integral part of a small community.  One of the schools was specifically designed to cater for children with special educational needs, with one other primary school providing integrated additional support needs facilities.  Nursery provision in all schools enhanced provision for pre-five year pupils who may eventually move into the primaries themselves.

The project benefited from Keppie's previous knowledge of designing campus schools.  New experiences for us included the design of a combined primary and secondary school in Kinlochleven, and the design of a one hundred and fifty pupil school in Inverness where all teaching is conducted in Gaelic.

Outcome

Particularly popular spaces with teachers and pupils are the activity areas between classrooms, which allow activities to spill out of more formal and perhaps traditional teaching zones.  Large rooflights give natural light to these areas, enhancing the teaching environment.  Whilst providing supervised areas for group learning, the nursery rooms also open into the central resource areas providing an integrated approach.  During 2007, five Keppie designed primary schools opened in the Inverness area alone, each one playing its part in enhancing the local community.

Team