Learning

Mearns Primary School, Glasgow

Brief

In 1997 East Renfrewshire Council recognised that the increase in pupil numbers, identified by a review of the school rolls, could not be accommodated within the existing school.  Projections indicated that within five years, Mearns Primary School would be more than fifty percent over capacity.  Additionally, the buildings did not meet the standards required for the provision of a modern educational service; hence, after more than one hundred and twenty years in the original school building, the decision was taken to construct a new four stream primary school with associated nursery on a green field site.

Response

The design is based on a series of two storey classroom wings connected to a central multi-purpose street, providing facilities for dining, assembly and flexible learning.  The street is used to separate the general teaching classrooms and fifty / fifty nursery from the administration, sports and specialist teaching rooms for science, music, technical and library accommodation.  To allow ease of access for over one thousand pupils, each classroom wing is provided with a dedicated entrance connecting an internal shared learning space with a covered external play area.  The nursery is designed to allow independent access for parents and visitors through a secure playground, providing a direct staff connection to early years.

Outcome

The new school is one of the largest primary schools in the UK with twenty eight general classrooms arranged over two storeys and in three wings.  All wings connect into a single central school street positioned to the north, with direct access from each wing provided to the school playground and all-weather floodlit football / hockey pitch located to the south of the site.  During the design process pupils were invited to submit ideas for inclusion in the construction of the building, to reflect the ethos of the school.  Pupils' designs were incorporated into the floor finishes within the central street and at the entrance to each teaching wing to reflect the variety of subjects taught in their new school.

Team