As the first academic year in their new building draws to a close, children and staff are settling into the spaces at St Gabriels’ CofE primary school on Houlton’s growing development in Rugby. A recent visit showed the main spaces of the light filled LRC and the flexible sports hall in varied, animated use, as children explored the ways in which they could utilise the new areas.
Staff have commented on the positive effect of the natural light and ventilation design features; critical elements of sustainable education design which make an incredible difference to both staff and pupils’ experiences of learning environments.
“There are many aspects of the building that are really outstanding and make this a lovely place to work and educate. The comment I hear most is that the school has an incredible sense of space and light. Even on a dull day our classrooms are flooded with natural light, the full height windows, light wells, wide corridors and vision panels all contribute to this. Our children, staff and families are all loving settling in and making use of this fabulous building as they go about the business of learning as a community”
Andrew Taylor, Headteacher, St Gabriel’s CofE Primary School
St Gabriel’s was designed to be the first level of infrastructure to serve the new residents of Houlton’s expanding community and our design enables the school to increase by another form of entry in due course as more families move into the area.
vHH Architects are currently at the planning stages of design for Houlton’s new secondary school, which will involve the creative adaption of the listed former GPO International Radio Station. The 6FE school will create a new campus for the development and secure the future of the listed building.
Houlton is a 1200 urban extension being delivered by master developers Urban&Civic. The site is jointly owned by both Urban&Civic and Aviva Investors and will eventually deliver 6200 new homes for Rugby as well as three primary schools, one secondary school and a host of other infrastructure including a new link road and 8 GP health centre.