Office Visit: Sandringham Primary School

After winning a RIBA Award for our building at Sandringham Primary School in Newham, it seemed silly not to go and see it for ourselves.

We arrived as the school day ended, which meant we got to see the classrooms in use and hear the pupils sing before skipping out the door to greet their parents.

The music, art and drama rooms on the first floor are light, generous and inspiring spaces. Teachers explained that the pupils absolutely love working in the new building and there has been an improvement in the quality of their work as well as their behaviour. Robert Cleary, the headmaster, gives assemblies on the amphitheatre staircase, which is also a popular spot for pupils to play at breaktimes. An unexpected advantage of the new first floor and stair is the view it affords of the existing building, a beautifully proportioned and grand exemplar of the Victorian Board School.

It’s always lovely to meet the people who use our buildings and understand how they really work. Robert and his team’s enthusiasm, affection and energy for the school shines through, and we were so pleased to see that the new building has made a difference and is used to its full potential.