Open classrooms and shared learning spaces throughout the nursery create an unrestrained and boundary-free environment while the abundance of natural daylight through the large, glazed façade and well-positioned skylights open up the spaces to create a bright environment for children and teachers. Stepping inside this new school the interiors are light, bright with pastel tones and, of course, ladybirds that delineate the different areas.
The scale of the classrooms is governed by the age groups and the age group defines the placement and of sizes of various elements in the teaching rooms. The youngest children are placed nearest to reception for ease of access for buggies, while the one to two year olds have their own wing with internal garden and links to the exterior, but away from the main active internal play space. The older children have access to a wide choice of protected internal and external play areas with a mixture of both traditional and shared learning spaces.
Walls and adjoining facilities are kept to a minimum to encourage flow and avoid inhibitory barriers and additional innovative learning and social spaces have been created within the nooks and corners of the building. Small, coloured pods in the shape of small houses, have been added as storage spaces.
From the initial point of entry fixtures and fittings are appropriately scaled to children’s height and appeal to their interests; a low counter in the reception area to child-sized sinks and toilets and low shelving in the classrooms were all designed in keeping with the behaviour and user experience of the children.
An area with soft safety flooring is set aside for a gym which features climbing walls and tunnels, and an elevated stage is provided on one side which doubles as a group reading area.
