In 2005 we were approached by Wakefield Council to design a new 2FE primary school and SEN behavioural unit at Cobblers Lane in Pontefract, based on the principles of our exemplar primary school design commissioned by the DfE.
Cobblers Lane School is an amalgamation of the infant and junior schools that previously shared the site. The safety of the school community was at the forefront of our planning and, working with teachers, we educated and informed pupils about the building works, keeping them up-to-date on progress and making them aware of the hazards of a building site as well as the excitement of having a new building.
The heart of the school – a flexible, shared space accessible from all main teaching spaces – was designed in collaboration with the headteachers and staff. This semi-open space includes circulation, resource areas, social and group spaces. The heart is linked to the hall, allowing the size of the hall to be increased for community use.
The school benefits from uninterrupted views across the surrounding countryside and presents a new public edge along Cobblers Lane.
