English Heritage calls for more school refurbishment in the North West
Two out of three adults agree, poll reveals -
- New publications highlight schools in Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Macclesfield, Cockermouth, Clitheroe, Bolton, Southport and Ellesmere Port -
Refurbishing old school buildings is often the best use of resources and the most sustainable way of modernising them when schools and local authorities bid for investment from the Government’s multi-million pound schools building and renewal programme, English Heritage said today as it launched two new publications that highlight the value and potential of older schools.
A survey by English Heritage of 1,723 adults shows that two thirds think that refurbishing and extending old schools is more environmentally friendly than demolishing them and rebuilding new ones.
In the same survey, 83% of respondents feel that local councils should do more to find new uses for old, empty schools, and almost half (47%) feel that schools with historic character provide a more inspiring educational environment than modern ones. Three in four also say that historic schools contribute to the identity of a local area.
A new guidance document, Refurbishing Historic Schools Buildings, published today by English Heritage with the support of the Department of Children, Schools and Families and Partnerships for Schools, demonstrates the huge potential and flexibility of traditional school buildings. They can be adapted, made more energy efficient and expanded with new buildings alongside.
Where school use is no longer an option, school buildings can be adapted for a variety of uses, the most attractive being into other public uses.
The publication mentions an early North West example in Liverpool’s Blue Coat School, which closed in 1906 and was occupied briefly by the city’s School of Architecture before becoming a library and arts centre, and more recently a gallery and workshops. St John’s School in Chester (1810) has been converted to a visitor centre, as has the Roe Street School in Macclesfield, also in Cheshire which originated as a massive Sunday school among the silk mills. All Saints Primary School in Cockermouth, Cumbria was converted to a community arts centre, auditorium and museum in 1994.
In rural areas a large number of schools have been converted into private houses and can revive a depopulated neighbourhood, as in Ellesmere Port where the John Street School was a good example of an early county council school designed to a healthy, single-storey plan. It was built in 1911-12, and was listed grade II in late 1997. Poorly adapted as offices in the late 1960s it was converted around the turn of the century into housing by the Wirral Methodist Housing Association in a well-designed scheme with attractive housing units as the double height classrooms had room for a mezzanine that provided bedroom space.
Regional Director Henry Owen-John said: “Inspirational surroundings can have a hugely enriching effect on education. And as we are recognising through more research, many historic school buildings are beautifully designed and were built to last; some reflect changes in educational practice and have historical significance too, and many are landmark buildings which mean so much to local communities.
“The Government’s current school investment programmes are unique in scale and vital in ensuring that our country’s school estate provides the best possible learning environment for many years to come. But we believe that local education authorities need to strike the best balance between replacement and refurbishment. The latter is often the more environmentally sensitive and effective solution. It uses the assets of the community, minimise requirements for new materials and cut demolition waste. It also helps to reinforce people’s sense of belonging and local identity.”
Refurbishing Historic Schools Buildings is produced as part of English Heritage’s support to help local authorities and schools reach better decisions in relation to historic school buildings. Another useful tool is a model brief which helps local authorities to undertake a simple but effective assessment of the heritage importance of the schools in their building portfolio. Free copies of both documents are available either as downloads from www.english-heritage.org.uk/historicschools, or as hard copies via English Heritage Customer Services on 0870 333 1181 or email customers@english-heritage.org.uk
Elain Harwood’s new book, England’s Schools, is a concise history of school buildings across England from medieval times to the 1980s, analysing how social attitudes have been expressed in their architecture and planning. To order a copy (£9.99 each) please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/historicschools or call 0845 458 9910.
The book traces the history of school development with the domestic-looking grammar schools at Walton near Liverpool and the tiny elementary school at nearby Woolton exemplifying the early vernacular style of the earliest surviving schools.
Later, Stoneyhurst in Clitheroe, Lancashire was built when the churches began building substantial schools for middle class children and in the later 19th century school boards such as Manchester held competitions for school building, placing a great emphasis on economy with the resultant austere buildings such as Varna Street School in Openshaw.
More decoration was allowed at the Central Higher Grade School in Whitworth Street which has since been converted to Sheena Simon College.
Between the two world wars public day schools built formally around quadrangles such as the one in Bolton and the King George V Grammar School in Southport were constructed and nursery schools included an elegant example built with a veranda for a Quaker benefactress at Hartford in Cheshire.
Date Posted: 22/01/2010
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