The Elmgreen School in West Norwood, the first Parented Promoted School in the UK, was officially opened today by The Right Honourable Tessa Jowell MP, who described the school as a beautiful building that is fulfilling the dreams and ambitions of the parents and children.
The school designed by Scott Brownrigg and part of the award-winning Lambeth BSF programme, opened to students in September 2009 and has been developed through a partnership between Lambeth Council and the Parent Promoter Foundation (PPF) and built by contractor Carillion.
The £26 million three storey school, designed by Scott Brownrigg, provides 1,100 places for 11 to 18 year-olds, including a 30 place hearing impaired unit, and a 200 place sixth form. The building is designed as a single envelope with facilities placed around a central space that is based on the idea of a medieval market square. This principle allows for total flexibility. The Market Square is used to move through and connect learning areas; for curriculum activity and enhanced learning; to socialise in; and provides a stimulating inside/outside environment that has been transformed into a year-round external space through its sawtooth glass roof.
Since September, staff at The Elmgreen School have been able to realise transformational learning opportunities through using agile and varied teaching spaces, including those in the orchard and on the roof top science garden. The design enables a high level of natural supervision and allows learning to be ‘on show’. Benefits of the design are already being felt with the school reporting a significant improvement against KPI’s and an 80% reduction in Fixed Term Exclusions.
John Wilkinson, Acting Headteacher, said, “"We were very privileged, as school staff, to be so closely involved, with the architects, in creating a building that reflects the ethos of the school. Being in our new building has transformed the learning opportunities available to students and families."
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