How could you make use of a modular school building?

As many schools are experiencing growth in the number of pupils, they are increasingly finding that every available space within the main school building has been used for additional classroom capacity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that there is adequate space for teaching the main curriculum to a larger number of children, other aspects of space essential to the efficient operation of a busy school have needed to be sacrificed. Increasingly, we are undertaking a number of projects for schools that need extra space, but not necessarily teaching space.

The beauty of a modular building is manifold, not the least of its advantages over a traditional extension being that it is usually less expensive and always less disruptive to the day to day school activities. However, it also allows underutilised space in the school grounds to be put to good use, whilst allowing a degree of separation from the busy school building and its boisterous occupants.

Take for instance, Whitehill Primary School, which has been growing significantly in recent years and now has more pupils and more staff to accommodate. School life has never been busier for the school’s teaching team whose staffroom had been turned into teaching space! With no room available inside the existing buildings, it was decided to utilise a little used outside space to provide a calm and soothing place in which staff could relax and escape the hustle and bustle of school life during their breaks.

A similar need arose at Spring Grove School, whose existing staffroom was too small for its growing team of staff and which was tired and uninspiring. It was deemed essential, if everyone was to manage this exciting period of growth, to provide an environment that was fit for the purpose of recharging the batteries of the hardworking teaching team. The staff love their tranquil and airy room, feeling valued and nurtured and, in turn, re-energised.

Willows Primary School works closely with local universities to develop future generations of high calibre teaching staff and was finding it increasingly difficult to free up adequate training space within the main school. It wanted a dedicated training facility, set slightly apart from the busy, daily life of the school, which could also be put to good use when not occupied by trainee teachers. The resulting building provides a calm environment in which to hold one-to-one teaching sessions and family meetings, and is also used to operate a self-contained holiday club.

We are also particularly proud of the teacher training facility we created at for The Blue Sky Teaching School Alliance at Sacred Heart School in Coventry as featured in this video with Head Paul Madia.

Versatility was also a key requirement of St. Martins at Shouldham Primary School. Located in Norfolk (one of the lowest lying regions in the UK) the school have been dedicated to raising the environmental awareness of their pupils and actively encouraging them to lead sustainable lives. When funding became available to replace an old temporary school classroom, they wanted an eco-building that would be in keeping with the school’s ecological ethos. They love their multipurpose space which is used as a music room; an art studio and a kitchen for teaching food tech during school hours, and in which they are able to operate breakfast and after school clubs.